


And Then He Kissed Me

by cinelitchick



Category: Grimm (TV)
Genre: Adorable, Alternate Canon, Bathtub Sex, Domestic Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Fluff and Smut, Funny, Gay Sex, Hand Jobs, Interspecies Romance, M/M, Masturbation in Shower, Mutual Pining, Oral Sex, Romance, Sweet
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-19
Updated: 2020-11-04
Packaged: 2021-03-09 02:20:55
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 49,055
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27107122
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cinelitchick/pseuds/cinelitchick
Summary: For years, Nick Burkhardt and Monroe have ignored their feelings for each other. Best friends and in committed relationships with other people, they didn't want to rock the boat and destroy their friendship.That all changes when Nick suddenly finds himself single and kisses Monroe one night. It's an act that unlocks those feelings which had been locked down for so long. Each has a lot to think about, especially Monroe who still has a girlfriend.The next day, Nick is gone on a long-term undercover assignment. Once he returns, will he and Monroe be on the same page?
Relationships: Nick Burkhardt & Drew Wu, Nick Burkhardt & Hank Griffin, Nick Burkhardt & Rosalee Calvert, Nick Burkhardt & Theresa Rubel, Nick Burkhardt/Juliette Silverton, Nick Burkhardt/Monroe, Rosalee Calvert/Monroe
Comments: 22
Kudos: 53





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> 2020 is all about writing for different fandoms for me apparently. This is my first Grimm story, so naturally I'm going to write about Nick and Monroe. I love their relationship and their chemistry is fantastic. When it comes to canon, I adore Monrosalee and love Nadalind. However, nothing beats Grimmbad when it comes to ships for this show.
> 
> I hope you guys enjoy this friends-to-lovers romance as much as I do!

> _“Love is like death, it must come to us all, but to each his own unique way and time, sometimes it will be avoided, but never can it be cheated, and never will it be forgotten.”_

_— Jacob Grimm_

  
  


It had been a long, grueling day on the job. Nick Burkhardt’s day began at five-forty-three that morning when his phone rang. The desk sergeant on duty had called to inform him an adult male body had been discovered in an elementary school cafeteria with wounds similar to the victims in the case he had been working for the past ten days.

No big deal. Four hours of sleep was enough for a homicide detective to function competently enough. That would bring it to a grand total of eleven hours since he landed the case. Thank God for good old’ Portland, Oregon, coffee to power him through. Not to mention the greasy breakfast sandwiches he had been downing for the better part of a week.

His sleep patterns were not the only things to have suffered. He couldn’t wait to get back to his regular diet, which at least allowed him to balance the good with the bad. Right now, it was nothing good. Delicious though the food was, healthy was not what came to mind while he ate it.

Now, though, there was light at the end of the tunnel. Two hours ago, thanks to a lead from an informant, Nick and his partner Detective Hank Griffin had taken down the Balam who had been behind the murders. They nearly caught it a couple days ago, but the creature had disappeared after fighting off the two police officers. Nick had misjudged the Balam’s strength, taking a scratch from the giant claws on its hand. Hank narrowly missed having its giant cat fangs sink into his shoulder.

A Balam was a jaguar-type creature covered in fur with spots that look like stripes. They could be very obsessive when any harm was done to someone they care about, such as a member of their family.

This time, Nick was ready and able to subdue the Balam with his partner’s help. Once the creature was apprehended, she revealed her true identity. She was the mother of an eight-year-old girl who had been targeted by a substitute teacher for grooming. The body from this morning had been the teacher’s. As it happened, the girl had attended a different elementary school in the city from where the man currently had been filling in for a few weeks. 

Once the mother heard from her daughter what had been going on after class — this had started while the teacher had been substituting at her school a few weeks ago — she went on a rampage in her Balam form. She had killed the principal and one of the administrative assistants at her daughter’s school, as well as four security guards between the two buildings along with the teacher before she was finally caught. Nick had suspected whoever had killed the victims was Wesen, judging by how they were attacked.

Wesen were creatures that could only be seen in their true form by a hunter known as a Grimm. Just as there were many nationalities of humans, there were many types of Wesen. For centuries, the Grimms had earned a reputation for their take-no-prisoners approach to Wesen and were feared by their prey. Shoot first and ask questions never was basically their modus operandi. That was until Nick appeared on the scene.

Relatively new to the job after holding the title for only a few years, he was not your stereotypical Grimm. His mom was a Grimm before him as it was his aunt, Marie Kessler, who had introduced his legacy to him. She died before she could teach him much of anything, so he learned on the job and by studying the various journals handed down over the centuries which Marie had kept in her trailer. Another piece of his family’s history that he had inherited.

When the mother realized Nick was a Grimm, she only asked that he protect her baby. “I did what I could. Don’t let her get lost in the system,” she begged before she was led away in handcuffs. As it turned out, the mother’s late husband had a brother in Bothell, Washington, who was happy to care for his niece.

Now with only the paperwork left to be filled out, Nick took a moment while sitting at his desk in the South Precinct of the Portland Police Bureau to check in with his girlfriend Juliette Silverton. He didn’t want to leave it all for Hank. That wasn’t fair. Telling Juliette he was going to be late again wasn’t a conversation he was looking forward to, but it had to be done.

She used to take the news well. For years, she had told him not to worry about her and come home safe as soon as possible. Even after he became a Grimm and she eventually learned the truth, not much had changed once she had accepted it.

Then, he had his abilities stripped from him after a Hexenbiest — essentially a witch that looked like a rotting corpse in her Wesen form — disguised herself as Juliette and had sex with him. While the news Nick had slept with her doppelgänger without even blinking an eye had pissed her off, it didn’t break their relationship. On the contrary, she thought him losing his Grimm powers was the best thing. She hated how it happened, but not that it did.

Seven months after he and his friends found a way to make him a fully restored Grimm once more, his relationship with Juliette was more fractured than ever. A chasm had developed between them in that intervening time which caused him to be a more attentive and sensitive boyfriend than ever. When he was around, which was not as much as he would have liked. Between his two jobs, Nick hadn’t been home more than a couple hours on a good day.

His best friend Monroe saw him enough that both Juliette and Monroe’s girlfriend Rosalee Calvert had joked the men were the ones who were dating. Though Nick knew Juliette wasn’t kidding now when it came up. Her hazel eyes flashed annoyance when he even mentioned Monroe these days.

“Let me guess. Working late?” Juliette answered on the second ring. “Saw on the news you caught your killer. The Portland schools are safe once more.”

Despite her best efforts, her light tone sounded forced to Nick’s ears. She was angry. Not even a job well done was going to get him out of the doghouse.

“Let’s hope so.” He matched her lightness, somehow managing for it to not sound like barely contained rage. Why was having even the simplest conversations with her so damn hard anymore? “I’ll be home when I can, so don’t wait up.”

“Don’t be silly. Of course, I’ll be up. Only way we get to see each other these days. The clinic’s been busier than usual. I have another full day tomorrow, so it’s now or never.”

It was a good point. As a veterinarian with her own business, Juliette usually managed to work a fairly normal schedule. However, the past two weeks had her not getting home until seven or eight in the evening, which was late for her.

“Alright, then. It’s a date.” He looked at his watch. It was already after seven-thirty. “Go ahead and eat if you haven’t. I’ll grab something here while Hank and I finish filling out our reports. I’ll call when I’m on my way home.”

“Perfect. See you when you get here.” She hung up before he could say another word.

Returning his phone to the top of his desk, Nick couldn’t ignore the feeling of foreboding that settled on his shoulders and in his gut. His instincts hadn’t failed him over the years. They were first to let him know when he was walking into a trap. Hearing the genuine (though faint) enthusiasm in his girlfriend’s voice at the end of their talk triggered alarm bells in his head.

What exactly was it he was going home to?

  
  
  
  


Nick parked his tan Toyota Landcruiser on the street in front of his olive brown, two-story Prairie-style house with white trim, which sat on the corner. His driveway was located on the side street and it only got used occasionally. He kept telling himself it was a waste not to use it, but the last vehicle that had occupied a spot on the drive was his Aunt Marie’s Airstream before he moved it somewhere safer. The fewer people who knew about it or its location the better. The trailer was sacred to Nick for reasons more precious than his role as a Grimm. It was all he had left of the woman who was a second mother to him.

He sat alone in the dark of his vehicle for a moment in a bid to stave off the inevitable. The bad feeling he had since hanging up with Juliette never left. Two-and-a-half hours later, it curdled into dread, thick as molasses and threatening suffocation. Nick needed to move before fear forced him to start the engine and head as far away from here as possible. Letting out a slow breath, he made his way inside the house.

As soon as he crossed the threshold, he saw them. Huddled by the wood frame to the left opposite the doorway were three pieces of luggage, each a different size and all on wheels, standing with the handles up as though patiently waiting for their owner to claim them. His gut churned and his heart tightened while his eyes remained glued to the burgundy set. There was no way she had shoved everything into just three pieces despite knowing how much each one could hold.

“Oh, good. You’re home.” Juliette stopped midstep, perfectly centered within the solid wood frame that separated the foyer from the rest of the first floor. She didn’t smile, preferring to be cordial yet formal. “Let’s go into the sitting room.”

She didn’t wait for him to follow, trusting that he would. The heels of the coffee-colored knee-high boots she wore over her dark-wash skinny jeans clunked on the hardwood floor all the way to their destination.

Nick didn’t move for a few seconds. His gaze returned to the collection of luggage after fleetingly retreating to her face to acknowledge he had heard her. He was numb. From shock, he reasoned. That had to be it. It made sense. No, not really. Nothing made sense. Numb from shock would work for now. Until he figured out what the hell he was feeling.

“Are you coming?” Juliette called out.

He blinked, coming out of his fugue state. Without bothering to take off his jacket, Nick closed the door and joined her in the sitting room. She was sitting on the cream-colored sofa, hands folded in her lap, long ginger hair hanging past her shoulders. There was no way he would take the spot next to her. Instead, he opted for one of the patterned chairs opposite. 

Mimicking her posture, he said nothing.

This was her farewell party, after all.

Juliette swallowed, taking the hint. “I get that this is something of a shock, but I just can’t do this anymore.” Off the look on his face, she amended her statement. “Okay, maybe not a shock and perhaps I could have eased you into it more, but frankly, I didn’t see the point.”

_Now we’re getting to it._ Nick wondered how much time they had before the cab arrived. Couldn’t be too long if she’s cutting to the chase already.

“We haven’t been right for a really long time. Longer than I think either of us is willing to admit. I thought we had a real chance of fixing us when you were normal again, but then you went and ruined it by getting your powers back.” She held up a hand to cut him off, noticing him tensing up. “I know how you feel, but let me get this out. Please.”

With his lips drawn into a thin line, he gave a short nod.

“You are the love of my life, Nick. I hate that we were robbed of our happy ending, but I know how much being a Grimm means to you. You’ve proven that. I always hoped you would be it for me and for the longest time you were. However, I’ve finally accepted that I will never be it for you. And it’s not just your duties as a Grimm that broke us, though it didn’t help. It’s how you just threw yourself into that lifestyle.”

The cool, measured tone by which she started her speech had become edgier, angrier the more she spoke. “You went from grabbing the occasional beer with Hank, and us having barbecues together and double dating, to you hanging out in this whole other world with people I never knew about and barely know! Don’t get me wrong. Rosalee is wonderful and Bud is the sweetest. As for Monroe, he truly is an amazing person. But….”

“But what?” Nick couldn’t help asking when she paused. He heard the accusation in his voice, already on the defensive. She was right about Rosalee and Bud, a nice yet nervous man who also was a beaver-like Wesen called an Eisbiber. However, there was no question he wasn’t going to like her response regarding Monroe. Seeing as this was her exit interview, he decided it was best to clear the air. Now or never.

“I don’t like being the warm body in your bed while you share your life with someone else,” Juliette snapped, her cold hazel eyes a stark contrast to her flaming red hair.

“Whose fault is that?” he retorted hotly, leaning forward, matching her spark for spark. “I told you the truth and you freaked out. A normal, expected reaction, I grant you. Then, after everything, you make like you accept my being a Grimm, but deep down I know you don’t. You tolerated it at best for me. Though, you did make an honest effort to understand. I appreciate that, I do, but you showed your hand the second I wasn’t a Grimm anymore.

“And that,” he pointed at her, the resentment refusing to be pushed aside after being buried for months, “ _that_ hurt more than anything else you could have done to me.

“We’ve been over for months. I can admit that now. It kills me that we wasted so much time sticking it out in the vain hope this would ever be what it was or what we wanted it to be. You keep going on about how I’ve changed over the years. Well, so have you, Juliette. Or maybe it’s how I see you that’s changed. Maybe it really is all me. Either way, I’m glad we can finally drop the charade.

“I am so fucking tired. Aren’t you?” The anger that had flared up moments ago now was doused with relief and resignation. His gray eyes wet with unshed tears.

Juliette let out an open-mouthed sigh as she attempted to keep her emotions in check now she had gotten the truth out of Nick. All she wanted was for him to tell her what he had been thinking, feeling all this time they had been in purgatory. He delivered more than she had hoped for and for that she was grateful. Unlike him, there was no way to keep the tears from streaming down her cheeks.

“I really am.” She nodded as she wiped away the wetness. “God. I never actually thought I’d get you to open up. It was the closure I needed. Thank you, Nick.”

Closure. He thought about what had transpired just now and how that made him feel. There was a lightness there that hadn’t been present earlier. Looking at his ex-girlfriend, he didn’t think of ellipses like he used to when they were together. There was a definitive period marking the end of their relationship. It was freeing.

The corners of Nick’s mouth curled up briefly into a smile. “Looks like it was what I needed too, so I guess thanks for the push. I am sorry it took us so long to get here.”

She shrugged. “Better late than never.”

Outside, the sound of a car horn could be heard.

“Perfect timing.” Forced joviality was not her forte, but was preferred to the awkward silence that was inevitable now that it was time to say goodbye once and for all. She walked over to the front door, waving to the cab driver.

Nick helped her into her blue-green long coat, but she brushed off his attempts to assist with the luggage. The driver came around to take her suitcases once he saw she had more than one. While he packed them away into the trunk of the cab, Juliette squared away a time to get the rest of her belongings. She promised to leave the key on the stand next to the lamp across from the foyer.

“I think it would be best if you just don’t bring anyone else into this life of yours,” she informed him while she stood in the doorway. “No one else is going to understand it and you don’t want to put anyone else in danger, especially if you love them.

“I was happy to help out when I could! But really, how many other women are going to be able step in like that or even want to? Date, sure. Just don’t get involved. It’s just safer that way.”

And with that, Juliette Silverton left his life for good.

He didn’t watch the cab leave with her in the backseat. It was over. Her last words put paid to that. Instead, his thoughts drifted to what it would feel like to live in this house alone. They had bought it together. She had no interest in fighting him for it. Not surprising considering all the shit that had gone down here since he embraced his destiny. Death. Shootings. Fights. A head in a box. (Nick still dreamt about that night his mother Kelly’s head was sent to him in a parcel.) Not to mention that whole damn affair with the Hexenbeist.

A single man with a nice house and a good, solid job. Things could be much worse.

Like being in a relationship apparently.

He did just get dumped by his girlfriend of more than five years who warned him off ever falling in love again. The same woman who at one time he had wanted to marry. She had even found the ring, though he never did get around to the whole down on one knee bit.

With that in mind, Nick made a mental note to sell that ring when the time was right.

As he cracked open his first of what he knew would be many beers that night, he pulled out his phone and texted his best friend. Normally, Nick would have called, but he didn’t want to ruin his buddy’s date night.

One dead relationship was enough for an evening.

  
  
  
  


“So, that’s it? She unburdens herself and leaves?” Monroe took a moment to digest what he just heard, looking around the living room from his perch on the olive green sofa that sat before the front window. It was on the opposite side of the room from where Nick and Juliette had their talk. He took a swig from the beer Nick had offered when he arrived. “No offense, man, but I thought there would have been more screaming and some broken furniture.”

Nick snorted, one side of his mouth tugging upward. “Once upon a time perhaps. It wasn’t the best conversation we ever had. We were barely civil, but I like to think we ended on a decent note.” Thinking about the postscript Juliette dropped before she bailed, he added, “More or less.”

He pulled from his own bottle, slightly slouched on the sofa. His head turned toward Monroe. “Hey, thanks for coming over. I didn’t mean to tear you away from Rosalee. Just thought you should know is all.”

It was true. That didn’t stop the groundswell of emotion from nearly drowning him when he saw the tall, hirsute man standing on his front porch with nothing but concern on his features. Nick wrapped his arms around the one person he was closest to in this world, holding him tight and breathing a sigh of relief when Monroe returned the hug. He felt the day’s stress and tension melt away from the warmth of the embrace. His head rested on his friend’s shoulder, in no hurry to break the spell.

Monroe had been there for him without question basically since the day they met. It hadn’t been the most auspicious occasion as Nick had considered him the prime suspect in the child abduction case he had been working. To the detective’s surprise, not only was he completely wrong, but the older man was the nicest person he had ever met — who also happened to be a Blutbad.

Like Nick was not your typical Grimm, Monroe was not your typical Blutbad. Most of his kind preferred a meat-based diet, whereas Monroe opted for a vegan one. He would fight if it were absolutely necessary or if someone he cared for was in danger, but considered himself a peace-loving individual. Blutbads were wolf-like creatures and, in that regard, he was no different. It was the similarities despite the obvious differences that cemented their friendship.

As they now sat side by side on the sofa, Nick felt a chill run up his spine as he thought about what it had been like to be held by Monroe earlier. When they broke apart, he missed the warmth and feel of him instantly. It took all he had in him not to reach for the other man again. They each had a hand on the cushion between them. Their pinky fingers a hair’s breadth away. The urge to brush his own over Monroe’s was powerful.

Instead, Monroe took Nick’s hand in his and gave it a squeeze. He met Nick’s gaze. “I’m exactly where I’m meant to be. We were done with dinner anyway, so don’t worry about it.” This got a tiny chuckle from his friend. “So how are you really? I know this can’t be easy. Even if it did seem inevitable.”

“It really did, didn’t it? Oddly enough, I don’t think I appreciated that until a few hours ago. Naive, blind Nick thought we would eventually just work it all out.” He snorted, shifting his eyes from Monroe’s. “Hard to do when you're avoiding the Grimm in the room. Stupid when you _are_ that Grimm.”

“You didn’t have it easy,” Monroe lamented. “You thought the world — _your life_ — was one way when suddenly your aunt rolls up with her scary cool trailer and blows the scales off your eyes. Suddenly, you have one foot in the regular world and one in the Wesen world. Trying to balance that _and_ a relationship with a Kehrseite who became a Kehrseite-Schlich-Kennen _and_ a job as a detective is serious stuff. You handled it so much better than I thought you would.”

“Gee, thanks.” The tone was sarcastic. Paired with a sly grin, it took out what little sting there was in the comment. Nick knew his friend was paying him a compliment. He couldn’t help but tease him a little regardless.

Kehrseite was the Wesen word for human, where Kehrseite-Schlich-Kennen was Wesen for a human who was aware of Wesen.

“Just wish Juliette could have been as open-minded about my being a Grimm as she was about the reality of Wesen in the world. Would have made things so much easier.”

Monroe nodded, taking another sip of beer. “True. Everything happens for a reason though, right? You had two chances to opt out of Grimm duties and both times you declined. Hell, you did everything you could to get your powers back after that Hexenbitch — pardon my German — stripped you of them. Even when you had them back and you knew how unhappy Juliette was about it you could have just retired.”

“But I didn’t.”

“No, you did not. That says a lot about you, Nick.”

“Yeah, it says I’m a workaholic who prefers to live alone.”

A grin played on Monroe’s lips. “ _I_ think it means you need someone who is going to understand, appreciate, and accept all of you. Not just the parts that suit them. Personally, I think the right person is out there. 

“Also, may I add, that for a man who just saw his five-year relationship end with someone who was allegedly the love of his life you don’t look particularly broken up about it. Dumping you might have just been the best thing Juliette ever did for you.”

Nick burst out laughing. He didn’t stop for what seemed like the longest time. It wasn’t hysterical laughter. Genuinely, he thought that was the funniest thing he had heard in ages. The truth of the statement was what made it so damn humorous.

For the first time since he learned the truth about his family’s heritage and how he played a role in it, Nick didn’t have to feel ashamed about who he was. Juliette, whether intentionally or not, had him second-guessing whether being a Grimm was the best thing for him. It wasn’t great for their relationship that was for damn sure. Still, Monroe was right. He could have walked away had he really wanted to do so. Even when he seriously considered it, there was no question how wrong it felt.

It had crossed his mind because Juliette had made it abundantly clear how thrilled she was when he lost his powers. She understood it was hard for him, but believed he would come to see the benefits from their disappearance that she did. Besides, Trubel was in their lives now. A fellow Grimm in her early twenties, Theresa “Trubel” Rubel was the kid sister Nick didn’t have or knew he wanted. She blew into his life one day and he hadn’t been the same since. He was confident she felt the same though she would only admit if he were dying. That was fine with him.

The thing was, Trubel understood what Juliette never did. Being a Grimm wasn’t a job you could quit. It was a calling. It was in your blood. You want to stop? Then you better be dead. Nick loved being a Grimm as much as he loved being a detective. Both gigs worked in tandem so well and defined him so perfectly that turning his back on either wasn’t even a question. In the end, the inevitable happened. His Aunt Marie’s words came true: _“I know you love Juliette, but you have to end it. It’s too dangerous.”_

At heart, Nick was a romantic. He understood what his aunt had meant that fateful night. However, he also believed Monroe was right about the right person being out there.

His stomach rumbled before he could get any more contemplative. “You said something about dessert when you arrived?”

Now it was Monroe’s turn to laugh. “Yes! I made these vegan peanut butter cookie bars that are to die for. I packed a few for Rosalee to take home. They are that good.”

“Is there chocolate involved?”

“Is there chocolate involved,” Monroe scoffed. “Please.”

“Then what are we waiting for? Let’s go eat these insanely good peanut butter bars!”

They moved into the galley kitchen, where Monroe left the container of sweet treats upon his arrival. Hanging out around the counter near the stove, they finished the beers they had started and moved onto another bottle each. By the time the cookie bars were polished off, Nick had drank four beers from the six-pack in the fridge. Monroe had knocked back the other two.

It was getting late. Both men had work the next day, though neither was particularly in a hurry to call it a night. Making their way back toward the living room, Nick glanced at the stairs and decided he was sleeping on the couch tonight. The steps seemed to sway a little, which gave him the perfect excuse to avoid the bedroom. Though he did love that bed a lot. Tomorrow night, he would go back to it and sink into its welcome embrace.

Tonight, at least for perhaps a little longer, he had someone much better. Before he got too tired and abandoned all thought of moving, Nick pulled out the spare pillows and blanket that were kept in the trunk in front of the olive couch, plunking them down on top of the closed lid. Then, he dropped back onto the same spot he had abandoned an hour ago. Had it really been that long? Time always ceased to exist when he was with Monroe. Or at least it moved differently.

“Someone’s had a bit too much.” Hovering over Nick, like a giant from a fairy tale, Monroe had a hesitant look on his face. “Should I go? You look like you’re ready to crash.”

“No! Not yet.” Nick tugged on his friend’s hand. “Stay a little longer?”

“A few minutes, then I should get going.”

To Nick’s dismay, Monroe took his same spot, as well, which put him farther away than Nick liked. He needed comfort and to feel safe and no one gave him that like Monroe. When he moved closer, his heart tightened as Monroe lifted his arm to give Nick access to him. A contented sigh poured out of the dark-haired man when he once more pressed himself against the warm, not-too-soft-not-too-hard body and those strong arms wrapped themselves around him.

This was exactly what he wanted, what he needed. It was good until Monroe brushed his lips over Nick’s head. He clung to his friend a little tighter before letting those honed instincts of his take control. Pulling back just enough to look at Monroe’s wonderful face with that cute nose, wide brown eyes, curl that dipped over his forehead, Nick’s gaze went to those inviting lips and back up to those now-blown irises.

He saw that Adam’s apple bob when Monroe swallowed. There was also what he didn’t see: hesitation or any signs Monroe was going to stop him. Taking that as his cue, Nick captured those soft lips. Had it ended with that one kiss, he would have been fine. It didn’t though. Monroe chased after his mouth and caught it, sliding his hand around Nick’s nape to hold him in place while he licked his way inside.

It took Nick’s brain a second or two to follow what was happening. As soon it worked it out, his mouth opened and all the blood in his body went straight to his cock. This was even better than Nick had imagined. For starters, Monroe knew how to kiss. Nick’s mouth had never been so thoroughly ravaged with such intent before. More than once, his moans were swallowed by Monroe. Not to be outdone, Nick sucked and explored and let his tongue dance with his partner’s.

When the kiss broke long after it started, he was oxygen-starved and already gearing up for another round. Nick buried his head in Monroe’s long neck, breathing in his woodsy, citrusy scent. The emotional and physical toll of the long day crashed down on him. So much for another round. He did find the energy to leave a small trail of kisses on the heated skin of Monroe’s neck.

To Nick’s satisfaction, his friend tipped his head back to give him better access. Even better, it led to another moan that made Nick’s balls ache. Monroe had both hands on the younger man’s back and bent his head to leave a few open kisses on Nick’s partially exposed shoulder, earning him a moan from Nick.

“Stay.” He was begging, but didn’t care. Right now, Nick would do anything to not have Monroe walk out the front door. “Nothing more. Just want you here where you belong.”

Was it the beer talking? He knew he was walking a dangerous line. Monroe was not only his best friend; he was also in a relationship. Rosalee was an amazing person who did not deserve to have her friend hitting on her boyfriend. Christ. Maybe his breakup with Juliette hit him harder than he thought.

Maybe it was the situation with the Balam. That was one of the harder cases he had ever dealt with. Those involving kids always left a mark, but this one had taken its toll on him. Even Hank had commented he should think about taking a few days off. Perhaps it wasn’t a bad idea.

The buzz of the alcohol wearing off, Nick felt his rational mind come back online as it emerged from a dense fog. He could survive the hangover in the morning so long as he had no regrets tonight.

“Ignore me. I’ll be fine,” he admitted sheepishly but with conviction.

“I can’t ignore you, Nick. That’s the problem.” Monroe confessed in hushed tones. “You’ve been through a lot today. Just rest now.”

As they drank and ate, Nick had gotten Monroe up to speed on how the case ended. He had been keeping his friend in the loop since he and Hank had landed the assignment. Monroe understood Nick had been getting less than the bare minimum of sleep while he worked to hunt down the truth.

A melody cut through the haze in his brain. Nick couldn’t open his eyes right away. It was more than a minute later when he forced them open. The tune was coming from his phone. His alarm. Where was he? Not in bed. The sofa. In front of him sat the trunk. His head was a cobwebbed mess. Oh, right. He drank last night. Must have passed out downstairs instead of making the trek up.

Juliette. That was why he had drank so much. Not that much. Four beers. The right amount so he was buzzed, nothing more. 

Good thing he and Monroe ate all those fantastic peanut butter bars with the chocolate chips. Those things absorbed most of the excess alcohol.

Nick sat up with a bolt. He shouldn’t have done that. His head spun just enough to force him to close his eyes while the Earth resettled on its axis.

Monroe.

His friend had been there when he fell asleep, but by the looks of things was long gone. Instead of Monroe’s body, there was a pillow. Instead of his arms holding him, a blanket. He must have set Nick up before he left. Nick remembered pulling both items out of the trunk last night. It was a sweet gesture, but he couldn’t help but wish Monroe had stuck around.

_Why? He’s taken, you selfish fuck. Do you really want him to ditch Rosalee, whom you love almost as much as Monroe, for your newly dumped ass?_

No, of course not. The only thing Nick wanted for Monroe more than anything was for him to be happy. Rosalee made him happy. They were good together and good for each other.

That kiss was the hottest thing he had ever been part of and he would cherish it for the rest of his life. He just hoped like hell he hadn’t lost Monroe over it. As amazing as it was, it wasn’t worth losing his best friend.

A familiar, welcoming aroma teased his nostrils. Nick sniffed the air. Coffee? He practically ran to the kitchen, coming to a sudden halt in front of the coffeemaker. A note sat on the counter in front of the machine.

_Dear Nick,_

_I hope you don’t mind, but I went ahead and set the coffeemaker so you would have something fresh and caffeinated when you woke up. Just as well that you had to go into work since I don’t have your passcode to unlock your phone to shut off your alarm._

_Despite the unfortunate circumstances that brought me round, last night was one of the best nights of my life. Thank you._

_No regrets on my end. Hope you can say the same._

_Once you were fast asleep, I left. It was for the best._

_Hope this finds you upright, if not completely well. Haha_

_Monroe_

Despite it being the same kind he drank every morning, the coffee never tasted as good as it did now. Nick drank two cups as he leaned against the counter, his back to the pot, and re-read Monroe’s letter till he had it memorized. Then, he went upstairs and got ready for work, the letter left exactly where he had found it.

  
  
  
  


Nick walked into the precinct freshly showered and newly shaved. He had considered letting his stubble grow into a beard, assuming he could have the patience to keep one groomed. Instead, he grabbed his razor after he got out of the shower. One glance at his clean-shaven face told him he had made the right decision. Facial hair would appear one day. Today was not that day. As he got dressed, he felt better than he had in awhile. The shower and shave helped, as did the coffee. He considered grabbing a thermos to take some more of the hot beverage to work. Glancing at his watch, he saw he still had time for another cup. When was the last time that happened?

“A new day. A new dawn,” he told his reflection, checking the bedroom mirror before heading back downstairs.

As he approached his desk at the police station, he was surprised to find a takeaway coffee cup from his and Hank’s favorite beanery waiting for him. Nick could still see the steam rising as his partner took a sip from his own cup.

“To what do I owe the pleasure?” he asked, simultaneously teasing and suspicious.

“Can’t a guy just grab coffee for his friend without any strings attached?” Hank volleyed while leaning back in his chair.

“I don’t know. Can a guy?” Nick retorted as he hung his jacket on the back of his own chair and took a seat. “Either way, it’s appreciated.”

Hank looked over him appraisingly. “You look like you slept well enough. Still a little bleak around the eyes.” His forefinger indicated the area in question on his own face. “Definitely already had a little caffeine. Perhaps even a sensible breakfast?”

Chuckling, Nick carefully drank his coffee. “Three cups and a couple slices of toast with blackberry jam, thank you very much.”

“That all? I thought maybe Juliette would have fried up some eggs and bacon to go along with it. Did she have an early day?”

“No idea. We broke up last night.”

“Wait. What?” Hank abruptly came forward in his chair, forcing some of the hot beverage to spill onto his hand and scorch the dark skin. Putting down his coffee cup, he slid over to his partner so as not to let the whole squad room in on what they were discussing. “Damn. You alright?”

Another swallow of coffee before Nick answered. “I’m good. Really.” The eyebrow raise Hank gave him wasn’t subtle. “She ended things as soon as I got home. Bags packed and everything. Don’t know how long she had been planning it, but…. Honestly? It’s a relief it’s over. Drank a few beers after she left and passed out on the couch. All in all, not the worst night I’ve had.”

His intentional removal of Monroe from the narrative was as much for his own privacy as it was for his friend. Nick had no interest in sharing something so personal with anyone outside of Monroe, who was the only person with whom he did want to talk it over. Not that it was going to happen anytime soon. Thinking about the note Monroe left, Nick had the impression those were the final words on the subject. 

He could be wrong. 

He hoped he was.

The note had a profound effect on Nick. As had the eye-opening kiss, which had cemented the change in his emotional state regarding Monroe that he had noticed over the past couple months. Whenever he was around the older man or thought about him, his pulse would speed up and his heart would tighten. Hell, even hearing his name got a physical reaction. Nick didn’t know when, but somewhere along the way he had fallen for his best friend. His instincts told him he had felt this way for longer than he realized. Love at first sight was reserved for books and movies. It didn't happen in real life. 

Or if it did, it didn’t happen to him.

That was neither here nor there. What mattered now was that Nick was going to have figure out a way to move forward with this knowledge and keep Monroe in his life. He prayed it wouldn’t be too painful to have his friend at his side knowing he could never have him. On the other hand, if he lost him over this, it might just kill him.

His shower this morning only made things worse. While soaping up, his mind went back to the couch. It was as if the memory was in high definition. Nick could feel the heat of Monroe’s breath in his mouth. The texture of his tongue as it slid around with his own. That firm grip on the back of his neck. All of this had his cock hard in record time.

For the first time in months, Nick jerked off because he was horny. Scratch that. Not just horny. Ridiculously horny. With one hand, he mimicked the pressure Monroe had placed on his nape and with the other, he grabbed his cock and stroked himself to completion. The images of last night pulled from their new home in his spank bank. He came hard chanting Monroe’s name. Streaks of white cum splashed the walls of the shower and floor of the tub, not to mention the hand on his cock and his stomach.

Nick panted as he cleaned himself off a second time. It had been a long time since he had come like that. He winced at the mess he made, then thought better of it. Pride took over.

“Guess I needed the right inspiration,” he joked. When he had masturbated recently, it had been as a stress reliever. It wasn’t until in the shower he understood how much of a hit his psyche took for dragging out his relationship with Juliette.

Back in the squad room, Hank shook his head. “Damn. I’m really sorry, Nick. Man, why didn’t you call? I would have come by. Help you drink some of that beer.”

“You had enough drama that day. Wanna grab a drink after work? Or hang out one day this weekend? I have plenty of free time.” Nick gave him a smile he hoped hid how resigned he was to living life alone.

Especially when the one person he would want to share his life with was already taken.

“Yes to both!” Hank shot him a megawatt smile. “Give you plenty of time to fill me in on what went down between you two.”

Suddenly, Nick was paranoid his friend meant Monroe. Irrational though it was, the Blutbad was the only thought in his head at the moment.

“Juliette? The woman you had been dating for the past five years?”

“Yeah. I know.” He took another sip of coffee. “Still not recovered from my lack of sleep. Let’s make it late afternoon this weekend, huh?”

Hank nodded, understanding all too well how little sleep both had gotten of late. “Deal. We’ll get a real dinner to go along with that drink tonight, too.”

“Burkhardt!”

The man in question and his partner both looked behind Nick to where their captain stood outside his office.

“I need to speak with you. Do you have a minute?”

“Be right there, sir,” Nick replied with a nod. After Renard stepped back into his office, the dark-haired detective looked back at his partner. “Wonder what that’s about?”

“Don’t know.” Hank shrugged. “Whatever it is, let’s hope it involves a raise and an extra two weeks of vacation starting immediately.” He rolled back to his desk, which faced Renard’s office.

After knocking, Nick entered his captain’s space and took a seat in one of the chairs opposite his desk. Sean Renard was a tall, imposing man with black curly hair, who managed to dwarf his wide oak desk despite it being the perfect size for him. He was aware Nick was a Grimm. Had been long before he revealed himself to be a half-Zauberbiest on his mother’s side. A Zauberbiest was essentially a Wesen warlock and resembled a craven zombie when in Wesen form.

Finishing with his laptop for the time being, Renard closed the lid and pushed it aside so there was no obstruction between him and his detective. “First of all, and I’ll tell Hank the same, I want to thank you for your work on the teacher case and congratulate you both on a job well done. I know it wasn’t easy and the hours were horrific, but you did the department proud. You made me proud, as well.”

Nick accepted the hand his captain extended. “Thank you, sir. It was definitely a team effort. That said, I appreciate the praise. You’re right. Nothing about it was easy. Hank and I are very satisfied with how it turned out.”

“Excellent! Now for the real reason I called you in here.” Renard leaned onto the desk, hands clasped. “Narcotics and Organized Crime has asked to borrow you for an undercover assignment for the next four months.”

Shock filled every inch of Nick. This was a huge opportunity. One he had secretly wanted, but never had the balls to inquire about because he wasn’t sure how Juliette would react. She probably would have supported him in the early days. Once he took on the Grimm mantle, though, he knew without a doubt that it would have been one ask too many. It was bad enough he would disappear for hours hunting down a Wesen or working a case. Vanishing for months on end would have put a bullet in their relationship, guaranteed.

That was no longer a concern.

“Do you know anything else about the assignment?” Nick already knew his answer, but more details couldn’t hurt.

Renard’s brow furrowed. “I like your enthusiasm, Nick. Though I must admit, I’m surprised you’re even considering it. I was under the impression it wouldn’t go well at home. Forgive me if I’m overstepping.”

The detective shook his head. He and his captain may not be friends per se, but their dual lives intertwining had resulted in some sharing of confidences. “You’re not. I appreciate the concern, but Juliette isn’t a factor. We’ve, uh, ended things.”

This news surprised Renard. “I hadn’t heard. I’m sorry. Was it recent?”

“Last night.”

“Are you sure this assignment is the best move under the circumstances?”

“I honestly can’t think of a better move. I get to work with a division I greatly admire for an extended period and learn from them at the same time. Plus, it will give Juliette more than enough time to get the rest of her things out of the house. It’s a win-win.”

Settling back into his chair, the captain considered Nick and his argument. He was quiet for a long moment. After careful deliberation, he nodded. “Okay then. I’ll let the boys and girls in NOC know. If you have anything you need to take care of and can so do so quickly, I suggest you get to it. I have a feeling they’ll snatch you up quick.”

Nick knew what he needed to do. There were only two things: officially change his In Case of Emergency contact in the police system and make a phone call. While he did the first, he informed Hank about what transpired in Renard’s office. The corner of Nick’s mouth quirked at his partner’s reaction. It was basically the one he had a few minutes earlier. Nick had his phone out and had just hit the call button when two officers from Narcotics and Organized Crime arrived.

Monroe’s voicemail had kicked in when Nick held up a finger to let his new friends know he needed a minute. Both the man and woman nodded. Nick watched as they waited for him by the double doors on the opposite side of the squad room from his desk. He turned away from them and Hank as he left a message on the voicemail. There was a cruel irony in the knowledge both he and Monroe had essentially left goodbye notes for each other hours after sharing an intimate moment.

Any personal items he had on his person, as well as his badge and gun, he left on his desk under Hank’s supervision. A quick hug from his partner and an acknowledging nod with his captain later and Nick was out the door.


	2. Chapter 2

The past nine weeks had been the hardest Monroe ever spent. Hours and days had dragged out as though a mechanism had busted inside a timepiece. Something he knew about well enough as a clockmaker who also restored antique pieces. It was a trade that had always fascinated him. Luckily for him, he had an aptitude to match his passion. He did a good business thanks to positive word of mouth from his clients, a fair number of whom were referrals. Working out of his home had its pros and cons. Normally, he loved the freedom it provided. Also, it helped keep expenses low to not have a storefront.

This extended period had left him distracted as he struggled to not think of Nick. That same freedom that came from being his own boss had kept him close to home when not on the clock, so to speak. His phone was never far from him in case that fateful call came. It was insane how on edge he had been over the past two months. He couldn’t help but compare himself to the war widows who had watched their men go off to fight against the enemy. Monroe understood how that wasn’t fair to those women who had lost their husbands, boyfriends, or fiancés. Then again, partners of police officers do the same thing every day. So, really, his comparison wasn’t that far off in its accuracy.

Every time the phone rang, he grabbed it instantly with his heart in his throat. Every time he checked the caller ID it was a client, his parents, or Rosalee. While his heart resettled in his chest, his anxiety levels remained elevated. What if someone was trying to call about Nick while he was on the phone? What if Nick tried to call for some reason? Maybe he would be hurt or dying and the only person he wanted to talk to was too busy trying to make a buck or chatting with other loved ones to be bothered to take the call?

Thank God for Rosalee.

Rosalee Calvert owned The Exotic Spice & Tea Shop on Fulton Street, which she took over from her late brother. It was how she and Monroe met as he was helping Nick work the case of her brother’s murder seeing as there was a Wesen angle. Hank hadn’t been clued into the wide world of Wesen yet. Long story short, she and Monroe hit it off. They started dating a short time later. A Fuchsbau — a fox-like Wesen with long orange fur and, in this instance, white spots — and a Blutbad dating was akin to interracial dating among humans. Her mother and sister were more open than his parents initially. Now, everything was fine.

While she never had a friendship as close as Monroe and Nick’s, Rosalee could appreciate the bond between them. Real friends hadn’t been an option when she was younger. One of the myriad reasons she ran away from home was getting in deep with drugs thanks to an ex-boyfriend she would rather forget. She envied Monroe and Nick’s relationship and wished she had a best friend of her own. In truth, she already had one: Monroe. He had been there for her while she dealt with her ugly, complicated past and came out the other side. Her constant, he had been a beacon of hope since they met and Rosalee would be forever grateful to him.

So for most of the past nine weeks, she had patiently dealt with Monroe while he freaked out every time the phone rang and all the times it stayed silent. More than once, Rosalee had expected Monroe to have a panic attack as he worked himself up into quite a state. It wasn’t always like that. Initially, Monroe said nothing about Nick’s absence. She had noticed the Grimm hadn’t been in contact — it was hard to miss — but remained mum until the silence ate at her curiosity. When she finally asked, the heartbreak on his face broke her own heart.

Monroe admitted Nick had accepted an undercover assignment the day after Nick and Juliette broke up. There was a voicemail. Rosalee had no idea how many times Monroe had listened to it, but she had caught him with the phone to his ear when he thought he was alone. She didn’t call him out on it. What would be the point? If Rosalee was an expert on any one topic, it was heartbreak.

To his credit, Monroe made sure she wasn’t a cuckold. He was too much of a sweetheart and a gentleman. Rosalee could read him like a book, but that wasn’t why he told her about that night with Nick. Outside of the Grimm, she was his best friend. They had gone through too much together and his respect for her was too great to lie to her. The heartbreak he felt was half for Nick and half for her. What he did was not cool. Their trust had been broken and that was on him. Whatever punishment she decided, he would take. It was only fair for betraying her like he did.

She took it well, all things considered. There was shouting, shoving, and a couple stinging slaps to his face. There were also tears. To his surprise, they weren’t as profusive as he had expected. Monroe confessed that afternoon — the same day Nick took the assignment, the day after the night they had kissed — in the backroom of the spice shop. Rosalee had put up the “back in fifteen minutes” sign on the front door the second she saw him. The reason she could read him so well was because he was an open book. He had no poker face. It was one of the things she loved most about him.

To her credit, she kicked him out of the shop. On top of a business to run, Rosalee needed time to sort her feelings. Late the next night, she showed up on his doorstep after calling ahead to make sure he was going to be around. They had it out in the living room. It was highly emotional yet calmer than their earlier encounter. Monroe sat on the couch while she paced in front of him. A ton of questions were flying off her tongue. He answered each one as best he could. His answers weren’t satisfying to either of them, but Rosalee could see he was still sorting this out himself.

Finally, she sank down beside him and contemplated him as though she could discern the truth by merely studying him. For all he knew, she could. He would appreciate the analysis if that was the case. That kiss with Nick had meant something. Monroe felt it reverberate all the way to his toes as it fused with his soul. It said a lot that he hadn’t felt the urge to stop it before it began. There had been plenty of time.

He had stopped it from going any further than that. It had been one thing to get a taste of Nick. It would have been worse to get a feel of him, too. Beyond the grip he placed on Nick’s nape or the hand he left on Nick’s hip. Had that happened, Monroe would be in a much worse state than he currently was. Not that it meant he didn’t want more.

So much more.

Rosalee’s gaze had borne deep inside him that night on the couch in his living room. Forty-eight hours after he had been on the sofa in Nick’s living room. The thing about her being able to read him from knowing him so well? It was a two-way street. Although she had a poker face and knew how to use it, she wasn’t a sphinx. Their coupledom had come to an end. Fair enough. Monroe was more concerned about their friendship. He hoped like hell he hadn’t burned their relationship to the ground.

“We’re over,” she confirmed. “You understand why.”

“Because I kissed Nick.” His answer came after a moment’s silence. “And we both know I want it to happen again.”

Her eyes were wet with unshed tears. She smiled sadly. Sad not for what she had lost, for Rosalee had known for some time despite pushing down the thought and locking it away in the place where ignored truths go to take root that continuing a romance with Monroe would be a lie, but for the battle her friends would undertake for their hard-fought happiness.

She nodded. “That said, I’m not done with you Monroe any more than you are done with me. I’m still your friend and I love you.” Rosalee exhaled slowly. “I just hope you know what you’re doing.”

The implication was clear. If members of the Wesen community could have issues with a Blutbad dating a Fuchsbau, they would lose their shit when they learned that a Blutbad had set his sights on a Grimm.

So, yeah. The past nine weeks hadn’t been easy on Monroe.

  
  
  
  


At the end of those long nine weeks, Monroe had enough stewing at home and took a few days off to get lost in the woods. He packed a change of clothes for practical reasons like not wanting to be charged with indecent exposure. The spot he had in mind was far enough out that no one in their right mind should be camping or hiking or bird watching or whatever, but there were enough nature lovers in the greater Portland area that one couldn’t be too careful.

What he had in mind was letting his Blutbad run free while he sorted out his feelings for Nick and how that would impact their lives in a big picture way. There was a lot to figure out. A good deal of it would have to wait until Nick came back. As the voice in his head had reminded him the night before he left, just because they made out on Nick’s couch didn’t mean Nick was going to be thinking it was anything more than that. The guy had just been dumped after all.

No matter what that voicemail said.

Monroe did not want to be a rebound.

More to the point, Monroe did not want to be Nick Burkhardt’s rebound.

He would rather be rebuffed than be tossed aside the second someone better came along. Someone not him.

See, this was why Monroe needed to get out of town and out of his head. He wanted his mind clear so he could focus on his life and work. Not that his work was suffering. It had given him a respite from the breath holding that his life had become in the wake of Nick’s absence. There was no way this was good for his mental or spiritual health. Time to get refocused and recentered.

Mother Nature seemed inclined to agree with his assessment as the weather report for his time away was perfect. Temperatures in the low-to-mid-seventies during the day and dipping to between the high forties and low fifties at night. Skies clear with a new moon due to arrive on the final night of his trip. 

As he drove his yellow Volkswagen Beetle away from Portland, Monroe had felt the baggage he had been carrying around figuratively be left behind awaiting his inevitable return. By that time, he was confident he would know how to deal with it. If not, he would stow it away until he worked it out. Either way, it wasn’t an issue now. Only thing he had to worry about for the next few days was himself. He could handle that.

Rosalee had been ecstatic when he told her about his planned getaway. She agreed he had been off for weeks and though she felt a tiny bit responsible for her part in his being “out of whack” — her words — she made no bones about letting Monroe know that he had to sort himself out before he confronted Nick. 

“Get right with yourself before you see him. Otherwise, it’s going to wreck you both.”

He had taken her words to heart, falling back on an old ritual he used to perform back in his twenties. It had worked like gangbusters back then and he hoped that remained true today. There was no reason it wouldn’t. There were stories about Blutbads in their eighties still performing the act. That was good enough for him. To be one with himself, in alignment mentally, physically, and spiritually was the tune-up he needed. Like what he did with the clocks he worked on to make sure they had good long lives.

As it turned out, he was alone for his woodland retreat. The perk of going out into the middle of nowhere was that most wouldn’t follow. His location was off the beaten path by about five miles. With his wolfish senses, he could find his way back without a problem regardless of the time of day. Surrounded by the sounds of the woods’ inhabitants, their soundtrack had begun his healing process. 

“This was definitely a good idea,” he decided.

By day he mediated, did yoga, went on hikes. Monroe enjoyed being in his natural element, surrounded by flora and fauna, with the sun’s rays bathing him in their muted autumn warmth. He dressed in light layers with a jacket nearby in case he needed it when the golden orb sank into the horizon, replaced by its lunar cousin.

At night, he stripped naked and woged, or transformed, into a Blutbad, tearing through the forest like a dog let off his chain for the first time in months. Grass and dirt lodged between his toes. Plants and branches whipped at his face. The air streamed over his body forcing his dark hair to stand on end. Red eyes taking in his surroundings with far more depth and attention than he had been capable of in a long while. The adrenaline coursing through his veins as he streaked through the dark without a care in the world. Howls ripped out of his throat and into the universe, signaling his euphoria at his rebirth.

The last time he had been out like this was with his ex-girlfriend, Angelina Lasser. It had been a few years ago. Right after he met Nick and not long before Rosalee came into his life. Angelina was a fellow Blutbad with a bad girl streak, and Monroe had been crazy about her in a galaxy far, far away. Still, old habits die hard and he had fallen back into her like a moth to the flame. Circumstances being what they were, their reunion was short-lived. 

Angelina had died getting vengeance on the pig-like Bauerschwein that had killed her brothers in retaliation for her killing the Bauerschwein’s own brothers. Monroe thought of her every night he ran and sent out a howl in her memory.

During those nightly runs, his mind was empty of all thoughts. His instincts had been sharper than ever and it was on those he relied. They didn’t fail him. No matter how far out he ran, he always found his way back to basecamp. Once safely there, he returned to his human body and made his way to the lake nearby where he rinsed himself off in its cool waters. He dried himself using that day’s shirt, making sure not a drop of wet remained. A chill was the last thing he needed.

While he was away, Monroe made a habit of not checking his phone more than three times a day: when he woke up, before dinner, and prior to falling asleep. Rosalee had been under strict instructions not to get in touch unless it was a real emergency. He never heard from her the entire length of his trip.

It was while he hiked in the afternoon that Monroe allowed Nick to permeate his thoughts. As soon he opened that door, his heart tightened and his breath caught. The same every day. His own reaction never failed to take him by surprise. Daydreams soon flowed in of them reunited, confessing their attraction to each other. Nick told him he never stopped thinking of him during their time apart. Monroe admitted how scared he had been Nick might not come back.

As the days progressed, those daydreams took a more realistic turn. Talk of them being prepared for the blowback of a Blutbad and a Grimm in a relationship. In one, Monroe brought up the Wesen Council, a group that governed via Wesen law and were seen to be the highest authority on all things Wesen. He hadn’t been sure why he even thought of them in the first place. The more he thought about the council, the less far-fetched their interference seemed. _Best be prepared for any eventuality._

Which led to his least favorite fantasies: the ones where Nick didn’t want a relationship, only wanted to be fuck buddies, or didn’t survive his undercover assignment. As much as Monroe hated these scenarios, he knew they were essential to his emotional journey. Each one caused him deep, searing pain and left him unsettled for a period after. The tears he shed were healing as they made him stronger. They didn’t make him immune, just ensured he wouldn’t combust should things go south with Nick.

Sex always crept into these daydreams — the good and the painful — especially at night. Horny from his run, Monroe took himself in hand while thoughts of Nick and memories of their fiery makeout session brought him to completion. One day while out on his hike, his imagination had gotten away from him and he had been forced to masturbate right there in the middle of the woods.

Another bonus for going deep into the wild.

By the time he had finished his sojourn, Monroe felt recalibrated. It was the best he had felt in some time and was grateful he had been able to take the time to administer the self-care he had so desperately needed. The drive back to Portland was peaceful and left him in the perfect position to face his future.

No sooner had he entered the city limits, his phone rang. His heart skipped a beat when he saw he didn’t recognize the number. Grabbing his Bluetooth earpiece and activating it, he took the call. The voice on the other end identified themselves as a nurse at Treeview Hospital and asked Monroe to confirm he was the person they had called. He did.

“Excellent. You are listed as the In Case of Emergency for Nick Burkhardt. I’m calling to inform you he has been admitted.”

Suddenly, Monroe was grateful for the light breakfast and that he had skipped lunch. His heart was now in his throat and his stomach was twisting itself into knots. “Ohmigod! Is he okay?”

“I can tell you he is stable and if you wish to come to the hospital and see him, be sure to get a visitor’s pass from the welcome station in the lobby.”

“I’m on my way. Thank you!” He hung up, hurling the earpiece across the front seat. The Beetle moved as fast it could through downtown Portland toward the hospital. “Hang on, Nick. I’m coming.”

  
  
  
  


The door to room four-seventeen was ajar when Monroe found it a short time later. He took a deep breath and let it out as he exited the elevator. Finding his way to Nick’s room wasn’t too hard as he had previous experience with Treeview Hospital. More than a few visits had been paid to friends here over the years. Especially since the Grimm came into his life. Monroe remembered when Juliette had been admitted a couple years ago. _Guess she won’t be checking in anytime soon._ A part of him was glad she wouldn’t be turning up. Nick needed all the positive vibes he could get.

It was quiet inside the room compared to the steady bustle of the corridor. There was a police officer keeping watch just outside. Slightly slouched with his back against the white wall, the dark-haired guard reached his full five-foot, nine-inch height when Monroe approached. Relieved to see a familiar face, Monroe broke out into a smile that was returned by Sergeant Drew Wu.

“Monroe! Man, it’s been ages! Good to see you! How’ve you been?”

Grateful for the warm welcome, Monroe took a minute to exchange pleasantries with the American-Filipino. Wu became a friend due to his working with Nick and Hank. They never went for beers or anything, but he was nice, smart, funny, and good in a crisis. All excellent qualities for someone who works in law enforcement — especially in Portland. Part of the Grimm gang, Wu went through one hell of an unintentional initiation. Thankfully, he came out the other side stronger and more committed to keeping the community at large safe.

“So,” Monroe nodded toward the room, “how is he?”

“Why don’t you ask him yourself?” came the loud reply from inside.

Wu chuckled at Monroe’s wide-eyed response, before also nodding back toward the room. “You better get in there. Only been here a couple hours and already he’s insufferable.”

“I heard that!” Nick shouted once more.

“Good for you!” Wu shot back. To Monroe, he asked in a quieter register, “Is it wrong for me to wish he had actually gotten shot?”

“Yes!” Nick quickly informed him.

Monroe pulled a face. “I’m starting to see your point,” he whispered as he headed in to see the petulant patient.

Instead of a demeanor like that of a sullen child who had been denied dessert for not eating his vegetables, Nick’s face lit up as soon as Monroe stepped into view. He approved of his friend’s good mood. Hell, Nick’s entire appearance met with his approval. There were no apparent signs of physical trauma aside from cuts and bruises on his face and arms. It was hard to tell for sure about the face as it was obscured more than usual.

“The beard’s new,” Monroe observed. “Stealing my look, I see. Missed me that much, huh?”

Despite the smile on his lips, those gray eyes softened. “You have no idea.” Nick stroked his facial hair. “Close the door, will you? I want a little time with you uninterrupted before the cavalry charges in.”

_Calvary_ was doused in sarcasm, which made Monroe chuckle as he closed the door. His pulse quickened at the idea Nick wanted to be alone with him, even if only for a few minutes. Even with all the signs pointing to things going in the direction he wanted more than anything, he chastised himself to keep his expectations in check. No matter what happened now, there was still a great deal to sort out. This was a marathon, not a sprint.

“This was more of a necessity,” Nick admitted, still fondling his beard. “Less chance of getting busted if I didn’t look like me. It worked. Until it didn’t.”

“Well, I for one approve of the Grizzly Adams look. Not everyone can pull it off,” Monroe complimented as he pulled up a chair next to the bed. He was grateful it was a private room even if nothing of import was said between them. Having a conversation with another person laying in a bed a few feet away was awkward on the best occasions.

Scratching his own less robust beard, he added, “Case in point.”

“I like your beard! It suits you. Although I wouldn’t mind seeing the baby face beneath it.” Nick waggled his eyebrows.

It was met with a scoff. “Never going to happen. I grew this for a reason. Trust me when I say I look better with it then without it.”

“I bet there’s photographic evidence.” The mischievous tone in his voice earned Nick a grin. “I knew it! You’re going to show it to me.”

“No, I am not!” Monroe defiantly shook his head. “Not happening, pal!”

“We’ll see.” Licking his lips, Nick dropped his voice an octave. “I do like how your facial hair rubs against my skin when we kiss. I had a slight burn the next morning when I woke up.”

Just like that, Monroe’s pulse was off to the races and his heartbeat was galloping alongside it. He swallowed as he sat up a little straighter, adjusting himself and crossing his legs. Okay, then. So they were doing this. Right here. In this room. Inside this hospital where Nick had been admitted as a patient. Sure. And then it hit Monroe. Nick hadn't used past tense when mentioning their kiss.

“You do?” His voice cracked. Why the hell did he have to sound like a thirteen-year-old whose balls hadn’t dropped? He swallowed and tried again. This time was much better. “Good thing you’re a fan because it’s going to happen, like, all the time.”

“Guess I’ll just have to invest in a good lotion.” Nick’s gray eyes looked like storm clouds now as lust darkened them.

“I can give you some recommendations.”

“I have no doubt.” His tender smile dissipated some of the heat in his eyes. “Come here. I want to do something that I won’t be able to later.”

Monroe cast his eyes toward the door, fearful they were about to get interrupted. Should he go to Nick and help him fulfill whatever wish he had? Or should he play it safe and just keep it platonic until after Nick was home from the hospital? The latter was the smarter play for sure. This wasn’t up for discussion. He was going to sit in his chair and find out what the hell happened that landed Nick in the hospital. There were a few questions burning his tongue and now was the perfect chance to get them answered.

_Screw it._

He sat at the spot on the bed Nick patted. The next instant their lips were pressed together. Their mouths connected with a little exploration thrown in for good measure. It was crazy to Monroe how natural this felt — also how good, with Nick’s full beard rubbing against his scruff. Over before they could get too far into it, he was already missing the physical connection.

Apparently, so did Nick. He nuzzled Monroe’s collarbone and neck, breathing in his scent. The same as he did that night. Monroe tilted his head back, reveling in the intimacy of the moment; one hand on the younger man’s nape and the other covering one of Nick’s hands which rested on Monroe’s knee. While he had time, he asked one of his many questions.

“What did the doctor say?”

“I’m fine.” Nick didn’t move. His lips brushing against Monroe’s skin as he spoke. “Mild concussion, so I’m stuck here overnight. Nothing broken. Jammed my pinky and ring fingers, so I’m in a splint for the next week or so. Otherwise, I’ll be bruised here and there.”

The splint had escaped his notice. Monroe needed to see the injury for himself. He tenderly prodded Nick to show him, which he did. Carefully, he held the splinted fingers. “God, it could have been so much worse. I had so many nightmare scenarios in my head on my way here.”

“So much for asking you to nurse me back to health.”

Before Monroe had time to reply, the door to the room opened. He stood just as Hank and Renard entered. As much as it killed him to leave Nick, their time was up. That was okay. What they had shared was more than he could have hoped for and all the signs pointed to them having more moments like that going forward. It was a huge step. For now, it was enough.

“I’m sure you have police business to talk about with Nick, so I’ll head out,” he told the pair once the pleasantries were exchanged. To the patient, he said, “Call me later if you want. I’ll be around.”

“Stay.” Nick gave him a meaningful look that made the Blutbad’s heart tighten. “What I have to tell them affects you, too. You’re going to hear it either way, so it might as well be now.”

“Is this about what got your cover blown?” Renard asked. “I read the report while you were being taken care of here. It seemed rather straightforward, but I’m now guessing that’s not the real story.”

“What happened out there?” Hank wanted to know, asking for the room.

“Everything was going well for the first six weeks. Then, this new guy shows up. Seemed okay, but a little sketchy. He starts sniffing around me. The crew I'm with don’t like him from the off. The boss likes me. Trusts me enough to deal with it by any means necessary. This morning, my crew meets up with this other crew to seal a deal and who’s with them but my number one fan. Next thing I know, he’s woging and everything’s going sideways.

“It’s now a huge brawl and gunfight. He’s quick, but I’m quicker. I notice he’s not the only Löwen. There’s another in his crew. Lucky for me, one of my guys put four bullets in him mid-woge. My Löwen and I get into it old-school until I get my hands on the machete someone brought. Impaled him through the heart just as he lunged at me.” He paused. “Another couple seconds and I wouldn’t be here.”

A Löwen was a lion-like Wesen, who in this instance had a large, bushy mane. Other males can grow long, hanging hair. They are super strong and extremely fast. It had been reported that Löwen once held out in a fight with a Grimm. Luckily for Nick, that wasn’t the case today.

No one said anything after that. How close they came to losing him weighed on the trio, but Monroe bore the brunt. His breath knocked out of him during the final seconds of Nick’s tale. He caught his friend’s eye and suddenly the closeness they shared earlier made sense. Perhaps without that near-death experience Nick wouldn’t have tested the waters to see whether they were on the same page.

The look of intent on the other man’s features told Monroe all he needed to know. Nick wasn’t walking away from this thing between them. This wasn’t a rebound. This was bigger. He had to agree. There was no way this was just a fling. While he wasn’t the type to date around, Monroe had a few affairs in his life. None of them had this sense of permanence to them that his bond with Nick offered.

Nine weeks, three days.

That’s how long it took for Monroe to discover for the second time that Nick Burkhardt was going to change his life forever.

  
  
  
  


It was after ten that night when his mobile rang. Monroe had been getting ready for bed when he heard it go off. Spitting out the mouthwash, he ran to answer it. The caller ID confirmed his suspicion on who was calling. They had left things on a good note he had thought. Not long after Nick had told them what put him in the hospital, Monroe made his excuses as it was clear that Renard and Hank needed to discuss the rest of the operation. Not his business. He knew enough about being a police detective from listening and observing Nick. There had been numerous times where Monroe had joined him and Hank on a case that was Wesen-related. Plus, Nick wasn’t shy when it came to sharing the details about his job, in general.

The rest of Monroe’s day had been status quo though he couldn’t help but notice how it all seemed different now. There was a new feel to everything. He chalked it up to his potential relationship status upgrade. _Potential._ While he was pretty confident that he and Nick were becoming romantic, he still refused to get too excited. A talk was required no matter how much they kissed or said all the right things. Truth was they were both fresh out of relationships. While Nick’s had a longer run, it didn’t make the fact they were technically on the rebound any less true.

Not to mention, another nugget: Nick was a Grimm. While to the outside world they were a same-sex couple, to the Wesen community Monroe might as well have fallen for Jack the Ripper. It wasn’t an exaggerated comparison. Grimms featured in the horror tales Wesen told to strike terror in the hearts of the meek, children particularly. Grimms were the boogeyman and if you were unfortunate to cross their path, then you had better have your affairs in order.

Nick was nothing like the Grimms of old. Not everyone would believe that because centuries of campfire stories and old wives’ tales (though all true, evidenced in the writings of Nick’s ancestors) made old beliefs hard to kill. Monroe was proud of him and the work he had done since taking on the mantle. Once you got to know Nick after finding out what he was, it wasn’t hard to see he wasn’t your average Grimm. A new Grimm for a new world.

A new world. 

That was exactly what they were building. Monroe could temper his expectations all he liked. Deep down, the thought of living in this new world with Nick made him happier than he thought possible and more optimistic about what was to come. Having a partner who understood you better than anyone and who could read you like a book was a lifelong dream that Monroe thought he had found with Rosalee. While it came close, it wasn’t the same. Those few minutes with Nick this afternoon had proved that.

Phone in his hand, a spike of adrenaline shot through his veins. Why the late call? Had something bad happened? Were his injuries worse than the doctors initially thought? That couldn’t be the case as the hospital’s number would be on the screen instead of Nick’s mobile. _Calm down. He probably just can’t sleep and is looking for someone to keep him company for a bit. No need to assume the worst._

“I’m such a selfish asshole,” Nick declared when Monroe answered.

Definitely not what the Blutbad had expected, but he could deal with this. Neuroses were a specialty of his, considering how well acquainted he was with his own.

“No. You’re not. I mean, you have your moments, but on the whole you’re really not.”

“Did I not kiss you twice knowing full well you were in a relationship?” Nick presented his evidence. “Not to mention all the times over the past couple months I came in my hand while you were on my mind. Selfish. Asshole.” He groaned. “Why are you still friends with me?”

Mouth quirking as he listened, Monroe could see Nick’s point. It wasn’t cool to make out with your best friend when as far as you knew he had a girlfriend. Then again, it wasn’t as if Monroe had even tried to stop him, wanting those kisses as much as Nick. Warmth flooded him before heading south thinking of Nick jerking off in the same fashion as he had.

“Speaking as the guy who had the girlfriend, I’m not innocent here either. There were so many times I could have stopped you that night, but I didn’t. I knew what was happening and I wanted it just as much as you did. Still do.”

“You do?” 

Enough hope filled those two small words that Monroe’s heart lifted like it had been injected with helium. “I do. I’m still friends with you because despite your imperfections you are the best man I know. You have my back and I have yours. What can I say? We make one hell of a team.”

“We really do.” Nick sighed. “But that doesn’t mean we should. Unless….”

Monroe kept quiet letting him work it out. His friend knew well enough to let the detective unravel this nonexistent conundrum on his own. Should Nick not like what he was saying then their conversation would get awkward real quick. He wasn’t worried about Nick’s response. It was everything that followed on from that revelation that made him nervous. Nick kept him grounded and sane while the outside world churned in turmoil. Hopefully, he did the same for Nick.

“You broke up with Rosalee? To be with me?” Incredulity soaked his words. “Ohmigod. Monroe. I don’t know what to say.” Silence confirmed this last statement.

“Well, it was more of a conscious uncoupling,” Monroe admitted. “Especially when I told her what happened that night. Turns out, I didn’t do so great hiding my feelings for you. Not gonna lie, those initial days were rough. She forgave me, but it was weird between us after that. I thought for sure I had lost her. Can’t believe she stuck around. We are most definitely in a better place now.”

“I’m not surprised she stuck around. She knows what I know: that you have the purest heart of us all. You’re not a saint, but there’s no malice either.” There was a heavy pause. “I am so sorry I put you in that position, Monroe. Hurting either of you was never my intent, but that doesn’t change what I did. I’ll apologize to Rosalee as soon as I see her.”

Nick’s voice was thick with emotion. His apology hurt more than his actions for Monroe also felt remorse for the pain he himself caused Rosalee and how he seemingly took advantage of Nick. It occurred to him then how alike they were in that both were willing to take the blame when both were at fault.

“She’ll appreciate that. I’m sorry, too. You had a long-term relationship that had literally just ended and instead of being a friend, I took advantage of your emotional state. Things may have died between you and Juliette awhile ago, but you had just severed ties a couple hours prior. I’m just as guilty.”

They were quiet for a moment.

“So, what you’re saying is we’re both selfish assholes.”

“Exactly.”

“Thank God we have each other.” The lighter tone in Nick’s voice made Monroe smile.

“Amen. Feel better now that you’ve confessed?” he teased, knowing his own answer.

“I do. What about you?”

“Same. I hadn’t realized how much that bothered me till now.”

“I had a lot of time to reflect while I was away. Another thing I’m sorry for is not telling you that while you were here earlier. Again, selfish asshole.”

Sitting on the bed, which he had since turned down, Monroe made a suggestion. “How about we agree when it comes to each other, we’re selfish assholes and leave it at that. Otherwise, we’ll never talk about anything else.”

A chuckle floated down the line. “Fair enough. Maybe in a few days once I’ve rested we can start atoning for our sins.”

At that, Monroe blasted out a laugh. “From self-pity to horny in point eight seconds. That has to be a record.”

Nick joined him and they kept the laughter going for a bit. “Well, it has been some time since I last saw you. Speaking of which, I have good news and a favor to ask.”

“What time are they discharging you?” Monroe had been hoping he would get to take him home from the hospital, but there had been a real possibility Nick would allow Hank the honors. They were friends, too. Of course, not friends on the cusp of a new beginning like they were.

“You really don’t mind? Hank offered, but I wanted to ask you first.” 

“I was hoping you would.” The heat radiating from his cheeks made his body flush. Nick thinking of him and wanting to spend time with him made him wish he could go get him right now, late hour be damned. Also, the shy way Nick had said that last part made his heart flutter.

“Good. Two o’clock. Does that work for you? If not, I don’t mind waiting.”

Monroe checked the calendar on his phone to make sure he had no appointments scheduled before confirming with Nick. There were none and the pickup arrangements were settled a few minutes later.

“Any chance I can keep you on the phone a bit longer? You probably have to get to bed.” Nick was in no hurry to end the call, which Monroe appreciated despite knowing the real reason.

“Can’t sleep?”

“How can I when I have a nurse poking and prodding me every forty-five minutes? I’m exhausted and miss my bed.”

“I’m glad to hear you miss your bed. You weren’t too fond of it last time I saw you.”

He let out a small snort of derision. “Caught that, huh? Yeah, that night, I wasn’t interested. It was too us when there was none. My plan had been to go back to it the next night, but, well, you know how that ended up.”

“A little distance was healthy. Now you can appreciate it for what it is,” Monroe told him.

“A damn gift.” Another chuckle floated out, followed by a brief pause. “I know we have a lot to talk about and sort out and our beginning was inauspicious, but I’m really happy about the possibility of us.”

“I’m thrilled,” Monroe gushed. Relief washed over him and calmed his stomach, which had fallen into a pattern of twisting itself into knots, untangling itself and repeating the process. Nick wasn’t rushing into this head first. They were on the same page. “And yeah, we have a lot to sort through. We’ll figure it out. I promise.”

“Phone off, Mr. Burkhardt,” a female voice scolded on the other end of the line. The night nurse, who undoubtedly had been making her rounds. “You should be resting. But I suppose it’s just as well that you’re awake. Say goodnight. It’s time for me to look you over.”

“Busted by the goon squad,” Nick confirmed. “Guess I’ll talk to you tomorrow. Two o’clock.”

“I’ll be there,” Monroe promised. “Try to get some rest. Dream of your bed.”

“If I do that, you may show up. Last thing I need is one of the nurses finding me with an erection.”

“You wouldn’t be the first,” the night nurse assured him.

Monroe laughed. “I’m flattered. Alright, fine. Just rest then. I’ll see you tomorrow. Goodnight, Nick.”

“’Night, Monroe.”

After making sure his alarm clock was set — a real one as opposed to the one on his phone — he slid under the covers, passing out as soon as his head hit the pillow. While he couldn't remember much about what he dreamt, the pieces that stayed with him consisted of Nick, a bare mattress in a bedroom, and the feeling he was home.


	3. Chapter 3

Pulling up in front of his house gave Nick a startling case of déjà vu that left him a little shaken. The last time he came home was the night his relationship with Juliette officially had ended. He recalled looking up at the dwelling with a deep sense of foreboding that had proven prophetic. Now as he gazed at the welcoming abode it was almost as if those dark emotions had no place here. They were banished as soon as he saw the place. The house was a sight for sore eyes and he couldn’t wait to get inside.

Having Monroe’s calming presence beside him didn’t hurt even if the ride over in the yellow Beetle wasn’t the most comfortable Nick had ever experienced. There was a damn good reason why he usually insisted on driving whenever they went anywhere together. Granted, it could simply be the exhaustion he had been suffering from made nothing pleasurable. Case in point, the only thought in his head was that of his queen-sized bed sitting upstairs in the master bedroom waiting for him to take full advantage. It was never good when your idea of getting lucky was passing out in bed for five days of uninterrupted sleep.

Nick glanced over at his chauffeur, who was observing him quietly with a knowing look on his face. “What are you thinking?”

“You going to be okay in there by yourself? It’s the first time you’ll really experience the place without her.” Monroe couldn’t bring himself to say Juliette’s name. Nick had been through enough trauma without invoking the name of his ex. “I know that first night was rough, but you two did buy this place together.”

“I’m going to be fine. Thank you for caring.” Nick smiled, reaching over to squeeze Monroe’s hand, careful not to annoy the splint on his own ring and pinky fingers. He exhaled deliberately. “Not going to lie. Once I’ve gotten a proper rest and settle back into the swing of day-to-day life, it might catch up to me. Especially if she fights for custody of the place. She said she wouldn’t, but that was then. Who knows what she’s thinking now?”

He really hoped Juliette wouldn’t change her mind since he loved the house more than he cared to admit. She knew that, once teasing him how if they were ever involved in a hostage situation where he had to choose between her and the house she knew she was screwed. Nick grinned at the memory. It pleased him he was capable of thinking about her without hostility. Another thing he hoped wouldn’t change. They were done and he had no interest in attempting a reconciliation, but that didn’t mean he wanted to go through life with animosity in his heart for someone with whom he had shared a significant part.

Monroe squeezed Nick’s hand. “I don’t think you have anything to worry about. You ended things on relatively good terms, right? She’s not that petty.” He bent his head down to look at the house through the passenger side window. “That is a gorgeous house though. Good bones. Wouldn’t hurt to cross your fingers.”

“Thanks. Knew I could count on you for support.” Nick raised an eyebrow, shooting his friend an arch look.

“Always,” came the sincere reply paired with wide eyes filled with tenderness. “But it doesn’t hurt to be prepared for anything.”

How the hell had he survived all these weeks without this sweet, adorable man who constantly had his back even when it was against all odds? Suddenly the idea of not seeing him for the next few hours was unbearable. Nick pressed his mouth against Monroe’s in a bid to convey in this simple act what he couldn’t put into words. His brain had put up a “gone fishin’” sign for the time being, so this kiss would have to do.

His heart tightened when Monroe kissed him back and he interpreted it to mean that he echoed those same thoughts and feelings and intentions. This surge of emotion sapped a chunk of what little reserve energy he had been operating on for the past twenty-four hours. Letting his head fall into the nook between Monroe’s neck and shoulder, Nick could have fallen asleep right there. He was already looking forward to when that was an actuality instead of a wish unfulfilled.

“As much as I’m enjoying the cuddle, I think it’s time we get you to bed.” Monroe nudged him upright, kissing his head as he slowly moved away.

Nick hated to leave the spot he had now declared his, at least internally, but he knew his friend was right. He sat in the seat correctly, lolling his head back for a bit while willing his body to get moving. With a long, guttural groan, he forced himself out of the car and onto the sidewalk. Monroe was right behind, taking Nick’s belongings from the floor of the passenger side that had been forgotten. It wasn’t much as he came into the hospital with nothing more than his wallet and the clothes on his back. Hank had dropped off the personal items Nick had left behind at the precinct before heading out with the officers from Narcotics and Organized Crime, including his wallet and phone. All of which had fit into a small, clear, plastic zippered bag.

Thrilled as he was to be Nick Burkhardt to one and all once again, he was more curious as to how much time off he had before reporting back to the homicide division and his desk. Hank told him he was cleared through the weekend for now, so that gave him five whole days to rest up.

“Wu’s been hearing things about your stint with NOC,” Hank had confided. “Word is you did one helluva job. Under the circumstances, I wouldn’t be surprised if you get some kind of bump from this.” Taking in his partner’s wan appearance, he added, “I’m thinking if you wanted some extra time off as a thank you for all your hard work, you’d get it.”

For now, it was enough that he was off-duty until next week. Nick couldn’t think too far ahead when all thoughts stopped at bathroom and bed. Once he felt human again, he would entertain full streams of consciousness. Standing on the porch, his hand instinctively reached into the mailbox, ignoring Monroe’s clucking like a mother hen (or would that be growling like a mother wolf?). The mail wasn’t there, but an envelope with what felt like a key inside was. He pulled it out to see his name written on the front in what was unmistakably Juliette’s handwriting. So much for leaving the key inside like she promised.

Without saying a word, Nick took out his set of keys from the pocket of his jacket, letting him and Monroe into the house. Even in his sleep-deprived state, he could see that she had returned for the rest of her things as the foyer was emptier than it had been the morning he left more than two months ago. A quick inspection revealed the cream love seat in the sitting room and chairs that had sat opposite — where the breakup had occurred — were gone. He sighed with relief when he saw the furniture in the living room had been left alone. That olive green couch and trunk held more meaning than the love seat.

He turned to gaze at Monroe, who had hung back in the dining room after putting Nick’s belongings on the table. An exhale with a nod is all Nick could communicate at first. Forcing his sluggish brain to form words, he managed the following, “This is fine. It’s good she came while I was gone.” 

Monroe nodded in agreement, peering at his friend with concern etched across his features. “Yeah, no, I agree. I just can’t tell if you’re unaffected by the things she took or finally emptied your tank or both.”

“Definitely the middle. Possibly the first.” Teeth ran over Nick’s bottom lip as though he was trying to recall if he had forgotten anything else he had to do. As though his reflexes were reminding him, his hand crumpled the envelope in his hand. Nick ripped it open and extracted the house keys Juliette had returned, handing them to Monroe.

“Welcome home.” The corner of his mouth tugged upward on his bearded face at the shocked expression his friend wore. “I mean it. We’re always at each other’s places. Been that way for years. Might as well make it official.” He dropped the keys into Monroe’s open palm, the room tilting as he did so.

“Thanks, but I think it’s time to cut this momentous occasion short before you face plant onto the hardwood floor.” Monroe caught Nick as he swayed. “Come on. Bedtime.”

Positioning himself behind the younger man, Monroe acted as a safety net while Nick made his way up the stairs and into his bedroom. He monitored at a respectful distance when Nick used the bathroom, then kept a close eye on him while he stripped out of the T-shirt and sweatpants he wore. Hank had also brought Nick’s spare workout clothes he kept at his place since they exercised and sparred together on a regular basis figuring it might be more comfortable, not to mention easier to remove.

It was a good call as Nick grimaced when he lifted the tee over his head. One glance told the reason why: his well-toned body was littered in bruises, cuts, scrapes. The few on his face were nothing compared to those on his torso and sides. When he bent down to pull off the sweats, there were few bruises around his shoulder blades, though they were fading and didn’t seem to bother him.

Helping him into bed, Monroe debated offering to stay with him till he fell asleep. Odds were Nick would be out as soon as his head hit the pillow. Nevertheless, Nick wrapped his fingers around the other man’s wrist once he was under the covers. Monroe lay down beside him on top of the bedding, enjoying how Nick burrowed into his side. As predicted, he was asleep a few seconds later though Monroe didn’t slip out until he was confident he wouldn’t wake him. 

Nick never noticed.

  
  
  
  


Monroe wasted no time making use of the house key Nick gave him. A quick inventory of the kitchen proved invaluable, allowing him to make a grocery list after cleaning out the refrigerator, and tossing selected items from the freezer and pantry. He used his knowledge regarding Nick’s culinary tastes from all the times they shared meals together along with what was stocked to inform his decisions on what to buy. 

As he went up and down the aisles, it occurred to him this was the first time he had grocery shopped for anyone other than himself. Hitting the store with Rosalee when either needed to pick up a few essentials wasn’t even in the same ballpark. This was a huge step for two people who hadn’t defined their relationship. Was he crossing a line? 

_No. The man had no real food since Juliette left and he had been unavailable to shop for himself. You’re doing him a favor. Besides, you’re just buying a few essentials to get him through the next few days. It’s a friendly little gesture, that’s all._

That friendly little gesture cost him ninety dollars when he got to the register. Bagging the groceries, Monroe couldn’t help but admit he might have gone a bit overboard. He hoped Nick didn’t balk at his goodwill offering. At least this way, Monroe would rest easy knowing his friend would be eating decent meals should he feel like taking the few minutes necessary to put them together. No frozen TV dinners. Not on his watch. Though he did pick up a bag of frozen chicken strips that were made with white meat and a couple frozen pizzas. Not everything was super healthy, but it did strike a balance.

He brought the bags of groceries in through the back door later that afternoon, careful not to wake up the house’s sole occupant. Monroe had considered waiting until the morning to go to the store, but didn’t want to risk Nick waking up before he had returned. This way, whenever he did wander downstairs in search of food, it would be waiting for him. As he worked, Monroe took note to put things in their familiar spots so Nick wouldn't have to forage the cabinets looking for a particular item. 

When he was done, he inspected the kitchen to make sure nothing had been left amiss. Everything was put away aside from the pile of reusable cloth shopping bags that were his own. The urge to walk around the downstairs and see how many empty spaces there were now that Juliette had removed what she had claimed was hers was nearly irresistible. Nevertheless, he resisted. It wasn’t his place to snoop. If Nick wanted to share those details later, that would be appreciated. Monroe had every intention of asking because his curiosity was spiking. He wouldn’t push for an answer though. That would be uncouth.

As he walked back to his car, Monroe noticed Nick’s Landcruiser was parked in the driveway. He wondered how long it had been there. Hank and Wu must have dropped it off at some point. Whether it was today or while Nick was away, he had no idea. Seeing the vehicle in its spot gave him a warm, familiar feeling like everything was settling down and getting back to normal. A new normal perhaps where he and Nick talked everything out and decided to take their relationship to the next level.

The Grimm and the Blutbad.

The cop and the clockmaker.

Actually, that last one had a nice ring to it. Both described who they were as people, but not as a couple. What kind of couple would they be? Loving, supportive, open, happy. That was a good place to start. Although, open would not describe their relationship. If it worked for some couples, then Godspeed, but like hell was he sharing Nick after finally getting him for himself. No way, no how. Uh uh. It occurred to him that he had spent so much time and energy worrying about if they should be together, he had never given as much thought as to what being together would look like.

Sitting in the driver’s seat of the Beetle with the engine still off, he pondered it some more. Juliette had never been fully supportive of Nick as a Grimm, but was that because she saw the apple pie life she had wanted for so long being erased before her eyes without there being a damn thing she could do to stop it or because she had gotten a taste of being the partner of a Grimm and felt left on the sidelines while everyone else got to play?

An apple pie life was nothing to scoff at as far as Monroe was concerned. He longed for that kind of life with Nick, but unlike Juliette he saw how they could have it while not forcing Nick to sacrifice who he was simply because it didn’t fit into some cookie cutter design that had been crafted decades ago. They could fight the good fight and still have an amazing home life. He was convinced of it. Thinking about their possible future brought a goofy grin to his lips as joy coursed through his body. This appeared to be happening. Man, how much things changed in twenty-four hours. Suddenly, those nine weeks apart seemed like nothing at all.

_Best hope the Wesen Council doesn’t get wind of this. You know how strict and judgmental they can be. This is the kind of_ Romeo and Juliet _-type situation they would hate._

With that, Monroe’s body deflated and the grin faded faster than a balloon leaking helium. The Wesen Council once again looming like a specter over their lives. What they don’t know can’t hurt them right? Even if they did find out, who cared? It wasn’t like they were hurting anybody by being together.

“Way to harsh my buzz, brain,” he huffed while turning the key in the ignition. The engine humming to life, he put the car into drive and pulled away from the house. Unfortunately, he couldn’t leave the nagging presence of the Wesen Council in the rearview mirror.

  
  
  
  


The nightstand with his phone sitting atop as daylight filtered through the bedroom was what Nick first saw when his eyes fluttered open. He didn’t have the energy to reach for it, so he lay there staring at it before shuttering his lids. When he opened them the next time, he couldn’t be sure if he had fallen back asleep or not. His phone was still there waiting patiently for him. Not yet, he decided. However, instead of closing his eyes again, he flipped himself over onto his back from his previous position on his stomach.

He stared vacantly at the ceiling for a minute enjoying the solitude that accompanied having the house entirely to himself. Spreading his legs underneath the covers and arms out so his body took up most of the width of the bed, he smiled. This was kind of nice if he was being honest. Nowhere to be. No one checked on him to see if he was awake. No responsibilities of any kind. _So this is how it feels to be Kevin MacAllister._ Home alone and feeling fine.

Sleep had done wonders for him physically as well as mentally. His head was clear and his body was ready to move. Nick wasn’t in a hurry, so he lay there a little longer before finally succumbing to curiosity and checking the time on his phone. When he saw the date and time, he did a double take. He had been asleep for two days. An exhale huffed out of him. At most, he thought it had been maybe twenty-six hours. Guess he really had been running on empty when he came home the other day.

As he thought back to forty-eight hours prior, he recalled taking in how the foyer and sitting room looked emptier post-Juliette. It hadn’t bothered him then and it didn’t bother him now. The sofa and chairs had been her idea so she was free to take them. He would worry about decorating later, after he had finished taking inventory. Whatever else she had left with, he couldn’t see himself being too worried by their disappearance. 

There was only one thing he was missing right now and it wasn’t an inanimate object. It was a very animated man whom Nick vaguely recalled laying down beside him as he fell asleep two days ago. The same man who had picked him up from the hospital that day and to whom he had given his spare house keys before passing out. Another check of his phone saw there was a lone text from Monroe.

_“I restocked your kitchen so no worries about food. Tried to stick with stuff you liked judging by your pantry, fridge, and freezer. Let me know when you wake up so I know you didn’t die in your sleep. It would be unfortunate after I spent all that money on food for you.”_

The text ended with a beaming face with smiling eyes emoji. Nick laughed, wincing slightly from the bruises on his torso. He was about to text him back when the first sentence came back to him.

“You restocked my kitchen?!” It was so unexpected yet such a total Monroe thing to do. Nick stared at the text message for a few seconds, letting the gratitude wash over him. Now, he had to get up. He wanted to know how on point Monroe’s shopping trip had been.

After a visit to the bathroom to relieve himself and wash his hands, Nick practically ran downstairs and into the kitchen. Everything looked the same as it always had, not that such a surface assessment meant anything. 

He started with the bread box on the counter near the sink. The sell by date indicated on the bag of the loaf was fresh. The cupboards were next and they didn’t disappoint. Cereals, granola bars, different kinds of chips, both crunchy and creamy peanut butter (of course, it was the all-natural version), extra butter microwave popcorn, two twelve packs of bottled water, and more.

As he moved on to the refrigerator and freezer, the results were the same. A half-gallon of two percent milk, eggs, different kinds of lunch meat, a head of lettuce, condiments, and yogurt were among the items in the refrigerator. Fruit bars, a half-gallon of rocky road by the brand he loved, chicken legs, three different kinds of patties, bags of different kinds of vegetables helped fill the freezer.

Nick took note of the frozen pizzas and bag of chicken strips with a smile. He closed the freezer door only to reopen the refrigerator door as he realized there was a paper bakery bag on the top shelf. Pulling it out, he saw two muffins and a couple of pastries. Damn that man took good care of him. Best to let him know.

Monroe answered on the second ring. “Hey! I’m awake so no need to call the mortuary just yet.”

He laughed. “I was starting to wonder, man. I kept reminding myself how awful you looked when I last saw you and that the longer I went it without hearing from you was a good thing. That said, I probably would have called or stopped by tomorrow if it was still radio silence on your end.”

“Solid plan. Kinda sorry it didn’t come to that. Would have been nice waking up to a friendly face,” Nick confessed. “Thank you for everything you’ve done the past few days. I feel so taken care of that I’m a little embarrassed to admit how much I like it.”

“You’re welcome. It’s my pleasure. You need someone to take care of you after everything you’ve been through. It was the least I could do,” Monroe told him firmly. “Oh! How did I do with the groceries? I mean, I hope I didn’t overstep. I had a feeling more than a few things might be past their expiration and I wanted to be sure you had enough food to keep you going until you go back to work next week.”

That warmth that had a knack for spreading all over his body whenever Monroe showed how big his heart was and how deep his compassion went kicked in. It was the next best thing to receiving a hug from the big guy, Nick knowing he would give him one as soon as he saw him next. He rubbed his nape while his teeth worried his bottom lip. What he wanted was composure and he needed a second to find it.

“You did not overstep,” Nick assured him. “Seriously, it was the most amazing gift. You did great! Are you kidding? I’m not going to have run to the store for a big order for at least two weeks. I’m already itching to rip open the patties and throw them on the grill. I can’t believe you bought beef, turkey, _and_ sausage. You’re coming over tonight. I want to make you dinner as a thank you. Plus, it’s the perfect excuse to see you again.”

“Not tonight.”

“What? Why?” His good mood plummeting as he turned petulant.

“Calm down.” Monroe chuckled. “I just think you need a little alone time. I know you disagree and will try to make plans with Hank, which is fine. Pretty sure he missed you, too. Not as much as me, but, you know, I’m biased.”

Not being able to argue with that logic, Nick smiled as his happiness returned. “Yeah, okay, I hear you. I need to call Renard anyway since he left a message. I’ll reach out to Hank while I’m at it. Maybe he’ll want to meet up for drinks later.”

“That sounds like a great idea.” Concern creeped into Monroe’s voice. “What does he want? Did he say?”

“Just that he needed to talk something over with me and that it wasn’t anything serious. Whatever it is, he said I’d want to hear it.” He shrugged, not that his friend could see him, with his free hand on his hip. “I’m not worried. I’ll call him back later after I eat.”

“I’ll let you go then.”

“Tomorrow,” Nick blurted out. “I want to see you. Dinner. Here. Seven o’clock. No arguments.”

Another chuckle. “Back to being bossy. You really are feeling better.”

Nick could see Monroe shaking his head with that _what am I going to do with you_ grin on his lips. He couldn’t wait until tomorrow night.

“I am. A little sore obviously.” He looked down at his splinted fingers, a corner of his mouth curling up. “A little inconvenienced, but nothing I can’t handle.” 

“We’re not talking about your health anymore.”

“So astute. No wonder I like you so much.”

“Go eat something. The low blood sugar is affecting your brain.”

“ _You_ are affecting my brain and every other part of me.”

“Ohmigod. Are you always this obnoxious with people you’re attracted to?”

The light teasing tone in Monroe’s voice made Nick break out into a wide smile. He knew the answer without thinking about it. “This is all you. Don’t act like you don’t like it.”

“Pretty sure I never said that.”

“You didn’t. I like that you didn’t play it off.” His stomach rumbling put an end to the flirting. He needed to fuel up before dealing with the rest of his day. “I gotta go eat. Talk to you later?”

“Absolutely. Can’t wait to see you tomorrow. Have a really good day, Nick.”

If this was how his day started Nick felt confident that the remainder would be damn good. Not wanting to jinx it, he waited until after breakfast and a shower before calling his captain. Better safe than sorry.

  
  
  
  


“So how did the retreat work out? I’ve barely had time to talk to you since you got back.” 

Rosalee was tossing the salad while Monroe finished getting dinner prepared. They were working in tandem in his small kitchen like nothing had changed between them. In a lot of ways, nothing had as they were still close despite the breakup. Their bond had been strong before they started dating and only strengthened while they were a couple. She couldn’t imagine her life without her best friend; thrilled beyond belief she didn’t have to experience such a tragedy. It had been weird initially, but things had calmed down and she was glad with how she had handled the fallout.

“Well, yeah, between Nick suddenly back and hospitalized, and you hanging out now with Adalind Schade of all people. I know she’s not the royal B she once was but, you know, it wasn’t _that_ long ago that she stripped Nick of his powers.”

Petite blonde Adalind was the Hexenbiest who had cast a spell transforming herself into Juliette and seduced Nick as payback for him initially stripping her of her powers. Desperate to get her baby girl Diana back, she had done what she had to in order to make that happen. Unfortunately, she had listened to the wrong people thinking they had her daughter. In the end, both Nick and Adalind won with his powers restored and Diana returned. Remorseful for what she had done, Adalind had made amends with Nick, calling him even considering their history and the stress she had endured. Juliette had been less than forgiving, banning the blonde from their lives under pain of death. A threat she had meant with every breath.

“Monroe, you have to let it go. Even Nick has forgiven her. She’s proven herself in the intervening months. You know she even suppressed her powers at her own suggestion. I’m the one who fixed the potion!” Rosalee set the salad on the table, then joined her friend by the stove and placed a hand on his arm. “Your devotion is sweet, but it’s time to stand down.”

He sighed, turning down the heat on the wok so as not to ruin the vegetable stir fry. “Alright. Fine. You’ve made your point. She _has_ made an effort not to be the evil queen of yore. How are things with her and Meisner?”

“Really good. Apparently moving in together was the best decision.” She took the steaming plates filled with their main course to the table while Monroe grabbed the wine. “He’s a wonderful partner and stepfather. Adalind couldn’t stop gushing! Those ladies could not be luckier.”

“I’m really happy for them,” he admitted while pouring the Riesling into Rosalee’s glass. She shot him a look expressing her skepticism. “I mean it! I like Meisner a lot. If he sees the same good in her as you do, then that’s enough for me.”

Martin Meisner met Adalind while she was pregnant and on the run from the Royal House of Kroenberg of Vienna, who had targeted her unborn child due to Sean Renard’s lineage as a royal due to his father being a member of the family. Coupled with the powers she would have inherited from Adalind and Renard, this had made Diana unbelievably valuable.

While Meisner had kept Adalind and the unborn baby safe, the two developed a friendship that deepened over time. As members of the Resistance who swore to take down the royal families, he and Nick’s mother, Kelly, took turns looking after Diana during that period Adalind had thought the royals had her, allowing the child to form her own attachments to her foster parents.

A couple months ago, he had arrived in Portland with no allegiance to anyone but his girls, as he referred to Adalind and Diana. Never one to put her own needs before her child, Adalind needed real evidence Meisner meant what he said. She believed him, but had been burned before (namely by Renard) and refused for her and her daughter to be duped. Within a week, he had secured a three-bedroom apartment and a full-time job working security for a prestigious firm. One month later, mother and daughter moved in to everyone’s delight.

“I think I actually believe you,” Rosalee teased, a grin appearing. Once Monroe was seated at the table, she repeated her earlier inquiry. “Now that we’ve settled the Adalind factor, will you please tell me how your retreat went?”

For the rest of the meal, he told her all the details that were fit to share without getting too personal. She asked questions, her face inquisitive and absorbing every bit of information. As he described the area where he camped, her brown eyes grew wide with wonder. By the time he finished, she wanted to explore the site herself. 

“It sounds like it was the best thing for you. I know you are holding back on the really private parts, and that’s fine, but just looking at you I can tell it helped. You’re calmer. More secure in who you are and what you want.” She nodded her head from side to side, eyes cast away briefly before again meeting his. “Make that _who_ you want.

“By the way, good call on giving him his space tonight. Not going to lie, I thought for sure you were going to tell me the two of you had plans when I asked about hanging out.”

Monroe smiled, standing up to clear the plates and pack up the leftover stir fry. He already knew it would be his lunch one day this week. “Nah, it was way too soon for that. Nick needs time to acclimate after being away for so long. Lest you forget, he left the day after he and Juliette broke up. Plus, he came home to find the house even emptier than he left it if you get my drift.”

She did. “Smart move on her part. Do it while he’s gone and there’s less chance he’ll put up a fight when he gets back. Also, I’m guessing she told him as much before she left. She never did mince words when it came to something important. So, do you think she knew Nick was away or just assumed he was at work?”

“Not sure.” The remnants of the stir fry in the plastic container, he turned toward Rosalee with one hand on the cool stove and the other on his hip. “It’s possible she was completely clueless. After all, she did know his day-to-day schedule. It would be easy to book movers when you know when your ex wouldn’t be home.”

“Movers?! How much did she take?”

He shook his head. “Not sure of that either. I do know, however, that she took the cream sofa, the coffee table, and the chairs opposite in the sitting room. Nick was pretty out of it when he saw they were gone, but even so, he seemed rather nonplussed by it. I think he was relieved she left the green couch and trunk.”

Rosalee nodded. “That couch is much more him. Though the sofa was very elegant. It pulled the room together, I thought. Here. Let me help.”

“Sit. There’s not that much to wash up,” Monroe instructed, pointing at both her and the chair. “If you don’t behave you won’t get a bite of the mixed berry torte I made.”

Obediently, she sat back down with her legs together and her hands on her knees. She bit her lower lip expectantly. “With the meringue?”

“But of course.”

“You spoil me.”

“My pleasure.” Monroe smiled at her as he finished cleaning up. There wasn’t much left as the wok and the wooden salad bowl were the biggest pieces to be washed.

“You know, when I suggested dinner, I didn’t mean you had to cook. We could’ve gotten take out or even gone out to a restaurant.”

“I know.” He glanced her way before returning his attention to the dishes.

“Thank you for cooking as always.”

“You’re welcome.” A quick look at the clock on the wall nearby. “You still want to watch the Philharmonic concert they’re airing tonight on the local PBS station?”

“Absolutely! It will be perfect with the torte. And then you can tell me your grand plan for your first date with Nick tomorrow night.”

Monroe dropped the wok in the sink, sending suds and water flying. He exhaled resignedly as Rosalee cackled in the background enjoying his nervousness more than she should.

  
  
  
  


“Two whole weeks?! Man, what _are_ you gonna do with yourself all that time?”

Hank shook his head in disbelief after hearing Nick had been rewarded with extra time off on top of the few days he already had been given. They were sitting in one of their favorite downtown sports bars waiting on Wu, who had been detained by a last-minute request at work. The place was busy, but at least they could carry a conversation. On the weekends, it was all about the games and the beer. You want to talk? Stay home.

Nick grinned, feeling the heat brush the cheeks of his recently shaved face (only a healthy stubble remained) at Hank’s teasing yet innocent question. Having finally bit the bullet and returned Renard’s call, Nick was pleasantly surprised to find out the higher-ups at the police department had handed him a mandatory two-week vacation starting Monday. Not having to go back right away had disheartened him at first. Then, he thought of Monroe and how that gave them the perfect excuse to give their new relationship a test drive without having to worry about a case popping up.

“Oh, I’m sure I’ll figure something out.” The heat rose so that the tip of his ears burned at the very PG-13 thoughts he was having. Think 1980s PG-13, which was essentially a soft R rating back in the day. 

As Monroe would be his first male lover, Nick wasn’t in a rush to knock out all his firsts as soon as possible. Because this was Monroe and they had been battling their attraction for years, Nick wanted them to take their time and enjoy every moment of this new relationship. He wasn’t on a timetable and was confident Monroe wasn’t either.

“Tell me you’re going to pack your bags and hit a beach somewhere that’s not here,” Hank begged. “You deserve a real vacation after the past few months.”

“Not gonna argue with you on that last point,” Nick agreed, taking a sip from his beer. “But no, I’m staying put. This is the perfect time to get used to having the house to myself lock, stock, and barrel. I can’t remember when I last lived alone.” He realized the truth. “This _is_ my first time.”

“Popping a cherry, are we?” Wu appeared dressed in civilian clothes. Their waitress arrived as he took a seat and ordered a beer for himself. “Which one is this?”

“Our friend Nick has never lived alone,” Hank informed him smugly.

Wu did a double take. “How is that possible? What did you have roommates before Juliette?”

“Pretty much. Then, we moved in together. I’m kinda looking forward to it just being me.”

“It won’t last,” Wu scoffed, tone thick with sarcasm that made Hank choke on his beer.

Nick looked from one man to the other and then back at Wu. “What does that mean?”

Clapping a hand on his shoulder, Wu gave him his best wise older brother look. “It means with a face like yours, you won’t be single for long.”

Awe shook Nick as he was astounded at how right his friend was even if Wu had no idea. He saw the arched eyebrow the other man sent his way and knew the look of shock on his face had been noticed. One look at Hank confirmed he observed it, as well. It was hard to miss if his heart freezing for a couple seconds before resuming its natural beat was any indication.

Luckily, their waitress returned with Wu’s beer and asked if they were ready to order. Hank ordered a barbecue burger and sweet potato fries, Wu a half-stack of ribs with fries, and Nick opted for boneless chicken wings and a side of fries.

“Who is she?” Hank waited until the waitress left before beginning the interrogation. “Where did you meet?”

“There is no woman.” Making the statement as definitive as possible, Nick hoped this wouldn’t take too long. He hadn’t eaten since he hung up with Monroe early this afternoon when he had cut up a banana on top of a bowl of cereal and followed that with a muffin. His stomach had begun to wake up and the aroma of cooked meat on the grill was making him hungry.

“Truth.” Wu had taken on the role of human lie detector, which only made this experience more awkward. 

Both he and Hank were excellent at their jobs so either Nick told them the truth flat out or he gave them enough of it until he was ready to come out. Part of him was anxious about revealing too much without talking to Monroe. While Nick very much wanted to tell his friends about this recent development, he hoped they didn’t react poorly. Telling people you’re a Grimm and telling them you’re queer were kind of similar experiences he imagined.

For his part, Hank looked disappointed that his friend didn’t have any romantic prospects on the horizon. Aware of how things turned near frigid for Nick and Juliette at the end, Hank wanted his partner to have a happily ever after. Don’t tell him that doesn’t happen for a Grimm. Nick had broken new ground in the position and Hank had no doubts he could do the same in the love department.

Wu, however, wasn’t ready to let this go. Like a bloodhound with a scent, he considered Nick as his eyes searched the other man’s face for a clue that would lead him to the truth. “Doesn’t have to be a woman.”

Hank perked up at this piece of information. “He has no history with men.”

“Bi-awakening can come at any age,” Wu informed him while never taking his eyes off Nick. “All it needs is for you to meet the right person. Isn’t that right, Nick?”

“I believe that is true, yes.” He hedged, but stuck to the truth regardless. Maybe it’s best to let the chips fall where they may. At least this way, Nick would know where he stood with his friends.

“Did Monroe stay over after he took you home yesterday?”

“No,” Nick admitted as if the thought had never crossed his mind, which was pure fabrication. “He left some time after I fell asleep.”

“When’s your first date?”

“Tomorrow night.” Just like that the truth was revealed. It had slipped out so effortlessly, Nick had to hand it to Wu. He smiled and shook his head. “Well played.”

Shrugging, Wu took a pull of his beer. “You’re still recovering.” He cocked his head. “Unless you wanted to tell us all along and I merely provided you with the perfect opening.”

Leaning back in his chair, Nick felt some of the tension ease out of him as if somewhere inside him a valve had been opened, releasing the pressure. “A little of both.”

“Monroe.” A small smile appeared as Hank shook his head. “I should’ve known. Can’t believe I let that slip past me.”

Over dinner, Nick told his friends the Cliff’s Notes version of how he went from thinking of Monroe as a friend to wanting them to be more. He refused to go into detail as he preferred to save the whole story for the man he hoped would be his boyfriend come tomorrow evening. 

To Hank and Wu’s credit, they didn’t blink while Nick spoke. They did ask some questions, keeping them to a minimum as both could tell their friend had no intention of giving them all the dirt. Both were supportive, not caring whether Nick dated women or men so long as he was happy and with a partner who had his back come hell or high water. In truth, they both knew Monroe was the only person for the job.

“You’re going to cook for him? That’s so romantic,” Wu gushed after the plates had been taken away and before dessert arrived.

“He _is_ still vegan, right?” Hank checked, a mocking tone in his voice to match the glint in his brown eyes. “The carnivore cooking for the herbivore. Should be interesting.”

“Not as interesting as the Grimm romancing the Blutbad, but close.” His own grin mirrored Hank’s and Nick couldn’t help but embrace the differences between him and Monroe. It was one of the many things he liked about the clockmaker. Only Monroe could make a decent living as a clockmaker in this day and age.

Wu sighed. “That’s even more romantic. Like _Beauty and the Beast_ , without the music.”

“Who’s who?” Hank wanted to know while at the same time Nick pointed out Monroe could play the cello.

“Ohmigod _that’s perfect!_ ” Both Nick and Hank expected Wu to swoon, instead the sergeant emptied his beer bottle, a hint of flush on his tawny skin. He glared at Hank. “Don’t be rude. They obviously embody both parts equally.”

Nick was touched by sentiment. “Thank you, Wu. You’re not drunk, are you?”

He was worried he might be, but the other man had only had three beers and two of them had been mostly consumed while they ate.

Dismissing Nick’s worries with a shake of his head, Wu stated the obvious. “Not drunk, just a romantic. I’m really happy for you, Nick, and wish you both the best.”

“That goes double for me,” Hank affirmed as he raised his own nearly empty beer. “May you two have a long and happy life together.”

“I’ll settle for having a boyfriend by this time tomorrow,” Nick joked though he raised his bottle just the same.

“Never settle,” Wu warned as he lifted his water glass instead. “No offense, but you did that long enough.”

Though part of him wanted to, Nick found he couldn’t argue that point. So, he joined them in tapping their glasses together and drinking to his happiness. On his way home an hour later, he had to fight the powerful urge to head straight for Monroe’s house. Nick knew he was watching a concert with Rosalee and didn’t want to interrupt their evening. Plus, he still had to face her and own up to his kissing her then-boyfriend. While he wasn’t necessarily looking forward to making the apology, he was eager to set things right and put the past to rest once and for all.

Tomorrow couldn’t come soon enough.


	4. Chapter 4

Despite being told otherwise, Monroe knocked on the front door before using the key to let himself inside Nick’s house. He made sure to arrive promptly at six-thirty, which felt exactly right to his Goldilocks frame of mind since Nick had told him to come over when he finished work, but no later than seven. Six o’clock had been doable yet it felt like he was rushing things by showing up so early even though it wasn’t really _that_ early since he ended his workday at five. Grabbing a shower and putting on a fresh outfit made this seem like an actual date, which it was. They had agreed on that while firming up plans while Monroe was on his lunch break.

“I’m here!” he called out as he hung up his jacket on one of the coat hooks in the foyer, feeling like an idiot and an interloper at the same time. It was a ridiculous notion as he had been invited and encouraged to use the key he had been given. Monroe supposed he would get used to it, longing for the day when he wouldn’t think twice about it.

“Great! Come on through! I’m in the kitchen!”

Nick stood at the island prepping two of the sausage patties he had pulled out of the freezer the night before so they could defrost in the refrigerator. There wasn’t too much he had to do other than add a few choice seasonings to each one. Monroe watched him from the other side of the island as he stood in the dining room next to the table as he held his own small cooler that contained two tofu patties from the new vegan butcher in Portland. He was excited to see how they measured up, but the sight of Nick working in the kitchen ignited a different kind of excitement within him.

The dark-haired man looked up and smiled warmly upon catching Monroe spying on him. He nodded at the cooler his friend held. “You need to do anything with those before I throw them on the grill?”

“Hm?” The question threw him for a second as he had lost all train of thought. “Oh! No. These puppies are good to go.” He entered the partially open kitchen, peering at the meat. “Are these the sausage ones I picked up for you?”

“They are indeed and thank you again for doing all of that. It means a lot to me.” His smile spread across his face as Monroe’s cheeks heated. “Now, the grill has been freshly scrubbed so it’s like new. That said, I have aluminum foil for your burgers if you want.”

“Foil please. I trust you when you say it’s clean, but it’s kinda like keeping kosher, you know?” Monroe totally believed Nick, but when you’ve been burned by your veggie burger cooked on a supposedly clean grill only to find out you unwittingly ate a tainted patty, you tend to err on the side of caution.

They decided they weren’t in a hurry to eat, so Nick returned his burgers to the fridge while Monroe said his would be fine on the counter opposite since they were packed in ice. After he wiped down the counter where he had been working, Nick leaned against it with his hands curling around the edge. There was no hiding the hunger in his gray eyes, a look Monroe had seen before and had grown to appreciate.

“I know we have a lot to figure out, some of it tonight,” Nick began, “but can we just admit we’re more than friends? I like you, Monroe. More and more with each passing day. You’re smart, funny, handsome, sexy.” There was that blush again which triggered the butterflies to flutter in his own stomach. “You have the biggest heart and I desperately want you to share it with me. I am _very_ attracted to you.”

He took Monroe’s hands in his. “All of this is to say I want to be your boyfriend. Will you be mine?”

Words failed the Blutbad as he was struck dumb by the honesty along with the raw emotion coming from this man whom he had been drawn to since they met. Never in a million years would he have expected to be on the receiving end of a romantic declaration from Nick Burkhardt, who had been in a long-term relationship with a woman until a couple months ago. Here he was though and despite the temporary speech paralysis, Monroe knew exactly how to respond.

“Yes. I want to be your boyfriend. I am yours, Nick. Have been for awhile now.” He swallowed, his blush deepening. “I still find it a little hard to believe you want me, but I’m fairly sure you will relieve me of any doubts. You are the complete package. Even without the beard. I couldn’t be luckier.”

“ _We_ couldn’t be luckier,” Nick corrected affectionately yet firmly. He tilted his head up, noticing the soft smile on his boyfriend’s lips before they met his own. It was a declaration of intent, sealing the deal on their newly formed coupledom without hesitation or hindrance. There was a little tongue, but this wasn’t about anything more than enjoying the moment. 

“Not to give you any ideas,” he said when they broke apart, “but since neither of us is in the mood for food right now, what do you say we go upstairs for a bit?”

Monroe raised his brow. “I hate to break it to you, but I have a ton of ideas right now. What did you have in mind?”

Turned out, Nick had been thinking of something rather innocent. He led his boyfriend to his room, where he crawled onto the bed after taking off his black Chucks. “In light of everything, what I’ve been craving more than anything is to hold you. I just figured we’d be more comfortable here. 

“I promise not to take advantage of you,” he added solemnly as he lay down, head on one of the pillows.

“Guess it’s down to me then … in light of everything,” Monroe matched Nick’s tone which got a grin from the other man.

“Shut up and get over here.” A wave of contentment washed over him as he wrapped his arms around his gentle giant. Nick pressed his lips to his boyfriend’s head, a sigh slipping out.

_So this is what home feels like._ Monroe always had felt his most comfortable with Nick, but this simple act took those feelings to a whole other level. Wrapped in those strong arms, there was safety and love in this cocoon he had never found in the world beyond. He never wanted to lose this now he had it. 

A low rumble came from somewhere deep within Nick’s chest, where Monroe’s head rested. “I was just thinking the same thing.”

Looking up at him, Monroe saw openness in his features, and sincerity and warmth in his eyes. “Didn’t realize I said it out loud. I like not having to keep those thoughts to myself anymore.”

“You can tell me anything, Monroe. You always could, but I hope you understand that now more than ever.” He stroked the older man’s chestnut brown hair at the temple with his thumb.

“Like I’ve ever hidden anything from you,” his boyfriend scoffed.

Nick burst out laughing, his heartfelt guffaw set one off in Monroe. “Fair point. We suck at anything but total honesty with each other.”

Placing a kiss on his lover’s breast, Monroe pointed out, “Except when it came to how we really felt. We fell for each other and couldn’t even bring ourselves to admit it.”

“I’m not sure that’s true,” Nick countered. “Part of me knew my feelings for you were mutual for the longest time. We just didn’t want to ruin us or hurt anyone. That second part didn’t work out so well, but I’m happy you and Rosalee are friends. I know how much she means to you.”

“Let’s face it, we were never not going to hurt anybody. You’re right about knowing what I felt for you was mutual. It was there every time we were together in person or on the phone. I tried to convince myself it was all in my head, but you made that impossible.”

“Good.” Once more pressing his lips to Monroe’s head, Nick held him a little tighter for a long moment before releasing him and looking into those big brown eyes. “I don’t ever want you to not trust my feelings for you aren’t real. I’m crazy about you, Monroe. You got me through those weeks.”

He knew Nick was referring to his undercover assignment with that last statement. A lump formed in Monroe’s throat as he thought about what it must have been like for Nick to be cut off from him for such a long period after that night downstairs on the couch and leaving that voicemail. Monroe had it memorized, he had listened to it so often. It was short, yet told him everything he had wanted to hear.

_“Hey, Monroe, it’s me. I just wanted to let you know that I’m going to be unavailable for awhile. I’ve been offered an undercover assignment and I took it. What I want you to know is that last night was not a mistake. I know you might think that in light of the event that preceded it, but it wasn’t. You mean the world to me and I would never take advantage of you or our relationship like that. Just know sharing that intimacy with you was special and I will never forget it. Take care of yourself.”_

“It’s the same for me, Nick,” he admitted, laying his head on the spot where he left his kiss. “Never doubt that.”

  
  
  
  


An evening under the stars was the activity suggested by Monroe once dinner had been completed and the cleanup handled. Nick loved seeing the Blutbad’s face light up when he thought of it and that exuberance in his boyfriend’s features made it an easy decision. While Monroe waited in the backyard, Nick went in search of a blanket and some pillows. Monroe had wanted to help, but Nick wouldn’t hear of it. Mostly because he didn’t think it would take this long. As it happened, he had no idea if he even had any and was just working off a hunch that he did. He could have sworn Juliette once made a big deal about the two of them doing something much like this only it never came to fruition.

Having rummaged through the master suite and the linen closet, as well as the guest bedrooms upstairs, the answer struck Nick like a lightning bolt. The answer so obvious he slapped his palm to his forehead for being so obtuse. He tore downstairs, running into the living room. When he reached the space, Nick came to a dead stop at the sight before him. Huffing out a laugh, he shook his head with his hands on his hips. There was Monroe bending over the trunk in front of the couch with the lid open and a thick red plaid blanket draped over one arm. He stopped mid-reach for what Nick gathered was a pillow to stare at him with bright eyes and a hopeful smile on his lips.

“You were taking forever … I was bored. Thought I’d come help. When I saw you weren’t down here, I saw the trunk and figured I’d give it a try.” Monroe righted himself, holding up the arm holding the blanket. “Look! Found them!”

His shoulders sagged a little. “I should have let you work it out since you obviously have. Sorry. I was just excited to get out there and enjoy the stars with you.”

For Nick, watching Monroe deflate was akin to being shot in the heart. It hurt like hell, cold seeping into the marrow of his bones. Worse was the look of remorse and rejection held by Monroe. Seeing it took Nick back to when he was a kid living with his Aunt Marie after he thought both his parents had died in a car crash (as it happened it was his father and a family friend in a case of mistaken identity). He had come across a couple of teens kicking something he thought was a hacky sack until he heard a whimper. They took off running when Marie came up next to him. Nick would never forget the look on the brown and white puppy’s face as its whole body shook.

Monroe wasn’t shaking, but that belief he had done something wrong when it was so far from the truth gave Nick that exact reaction he had all those years ago. He closed the gap between them as Monroe moved to return the blanket, putting one hand on the item hanging on Monroe’s arm and the other on his nape, forcing the other man to look at him.

“I love that you’re excited to enjoy the stars with me,” Nick told him, looking Monroe directly in those warm yet tentative brown eyes. He hated he was the reason that hesitation was there. “So am I! I screwed up by not letting you help. I just wanted everything to be perfect because you deserve that. Thank you for seeing sense and finding what we needed. I have my head up my ass more often than I’d like to admit. Will you help me pull it out when necessary?”

“You’re not mad?” Relief rolled through Monroe as he let out the breath he had been holding. “Oh thank God. The way you came to halt over there when you saw me, I thought you were pissed I didn’t stay outside.”

“I could never be mad at you. I was surprised is all. I swear.” Pressing a kiss to his forehead when his boyfriend nodded to show they were good, Nick then looked into the trunk. “Why don’t you take the blanket out while I grab a few pillows?”

Now, they were situated on the ground with the blanket beneath them, pillows under their heads, and the dark blue-black sky above pocked with incandescent bodies. Nick took Monroe’s hand as they lay side-by-side, squeezing so his boyfriend would look at him.

“Are you okay?” Monroe had been quiet since the incident in the living room and Nick fretted he fucked up everything. He kept his tone as even as possible, but the concern was there. “We’re supposed to be talking, so talk to me.”

“I’m okay. I just had a bit of a flashback in there and I guess it rattled me more than I thought. We’re good. I promise.” He kissed the back of Nick’s hand, resting it on his chest with his hands wrapped over it. “When I was in my twenties, I had a short relationship with a guy named Ambrose. Full disclosure: Not my first time with a guy, but he was my last until you. Anyway, Ambrose was a Dom in search of a sub and he thought he found it with me. He did not.”

Monroe paused. “Do you know what I mean when I use those terms?”

Nick nodded. “Dominant and submissive. I have some rudimentary knowledge of the lifestyle.” He laughed when Monroe raised an eyebrow. “It came up in a case a year-and-a-half ago. No Wesen involved so I never mentioned it. Is that something you’re interested in?”

“I appreciate the question, as well as your rudimentary knowledge. To a degree. One good thing that came out of that relationship was I did learn I had a few kinks I wasn’t aware of. What about you?”

“Not gonna lie, I have no idea. My relationships have been very vanilla. Good sex, the usual positions. No toys. Juliette had a vibrator, but she kept that to herself. I am interested in expanding my horizons. With you.” Monroe smiled at the distinction. “Now, tell me what this asshole did to you.”

Even in the limited illumination that came from the house lights behind them, Nick saw the thrill his growled command gave his boyfriend. He knew he wasn’t going to like what he was about to hear, but appreciated Monroe trusted him enough to share.

“Ambrose didn’t like admitting when he was wrong and he was one-hundred-percent wrong for me. So, he would put his dominance in overdrive, mentally and emotionally abusing me when I wasn’t up to snuff — which was most of the time. Angelina saw I needed help getting out when she swung back into town about a month and half after the relationship began and, well, let’s just say it ended quickly.”

“She didn’t…” Nick was acquainted with Angelina’s scorched earth policy when it came to those who messed with her loved ones. He remembered the Blutbad well.

“Still alive and in possession of most of his limbs as of ten years ago. In a stroke of pure karma, a sub retaliated a few years after me and Ambrose lost a few fingers as a result. Angelina had put the fear of God into him so he never reached out to me. That sub forced him into retirement and seclusion.”

“Is Ambrose Wesen?”

“Blutbad. He saw easy prey with me as a reformed Blutbad and took advantage. So grateful Angelina showed up when she did. I can’t think about the _what if_ there.”

Rolling over onto his side so he could be closer to Monroe, Nick caressed his boyfriend’s cheek with the back of his free hand. “I’m so sorry I triggered you.”

Leaning into the touch, Monroe assured his love that wasn’t the case. “I panicked and regressed for a minute, that’s all. I’ve never told anyone about Ambrose. Not even Rosalee. You’re not him, Nick. Not even close. I trusted you the second I met you. And considering you were casing my house at the time, how fucked up is that?!”

Nick’s face fell into Monroe’s shoulder as he laughed so hard his body shook. When he caught his breath, he pulled back so he could see that face. “So fucked up. Which is probably why it was the same for me. This is why we can make this work, Monroe. We’ve always trusted each other, been honest with one another. I know you’re worried about people finding out that we’re dating and maybe I’m naive, but who the hell cares? And before you say Wesen Council, it’s none of their damn business. They know we have a pre-existing relationship. That’s enough.”

“You make it sound as though we’re a pre-existing condition. Like asthma,” Monroe scoffed.

“Well, I do find it hard to breathe every time I see you.” Nick ran his thumb over the other cheek.

Moving his face so it was only inches away from his boyfriend’s, Monroe confessed, “Good. You have the same effect on me.”

The next moment, Nick was melting into a slow burn kiss that left him at the Blutbad’s mercy. Monroe kept control as the younger man parted his lips to grant him entry where Monroe’s tongue ran along Nick’s and swept over the inside of Nick’s mouth muffling the Grimm’s moans. Nick was only vaguely aware that Monroe still held tight to his one hand while the other remained on Monroe’s bearded cheek.

When he was finally released, Nick pressed himself against the man whom he was willing to give all of himself. He didn’t want to claim this wonderful person like a hunter claimed his prey, like a trophy to be mounted on a wall over a fireplace. He wanted Monroe to surrender to him just as he wanted to surrender to Monroe.

“I hear you, bärchen. We’ll take it as it comes just like we always have.” He took a hand away from the one he held of Nick’s and wound it around his boyfriend’s shoulders, so he could hold him tight. The little term of affection had barely registered until Nick mentioned it. “It means ‘little bear.’ Sorry, it just slipped out. A bit early for pet names.”

“No, it’s not. Besides, I like it. I always like it when you speak German.”

“You do?” This took Monroe by surprise. He had never given much thought about Nick’s reaction when he broke out his German, but a collection of remembrances littered his mind and now he could see how blind he had been. Perhaps it had been for the best then. Thankfully, this was now. “Good to know. From here on out, you will be my bärchen.”

Hearing Monroe say that filled Nick with an overwhelming amount of emotion. With one word, he had no doubt he belonged to this man. He didn’t want the night to end. For two whole weeks, he wanted it all. They could slow things down once he went back to work if need be, but he didn’t want to waste any time. Not when they were finally together.

“Stay the night. I’m not asking for sex, I’m asking for you. I want to wake up to your gorgeous face every morning at least until I’m on duty again.”

“You want me to stay over every night?” No judgement, but Nick thought he heard a faint trace of wariness.

“We’ll trade off. I want both of our places to feel like home. Is that okay?” He would have pushed himself up to gage Monroe’s reaction, but those long arms held him in place to his own satisfaction.

“I want that, too. All of it. Though I have a sneaking suspicion we’re not suddenly going to start sleeping alone once your vacation is over.”

Nick chuckled. “You’re probably right, but I wanted to give you an out in case you wanted it.”

A soft sigh, then Monroe pressed a kiss into that dark hair. “If I wanted out, Nick, I wouldn’t be here enjoying this perfect night with you.”

  
  
  
  


Waking up with Nick’s back plastered to his chest the past three mornings had been everything for Monroe, especially since each night since that first at Nick’s house they would fall asleep on their side of the bed. At some point during the night, Nick decided he needed his boyfriend and Monroe dutifully draped an arm over the smaller man, keeping him protected with their legs intertwined. The smell of Nick’s shampoo reached Monroe with each inhale, along with the underlying notes of Nick’s own scent. His even breathing indicating Nick was still lost to sleep, Monroe moved his nose to the exposed patch of skin around the neck of the T-shirt Nick was wearing. There, he could get a pure hit of Nick, a scent that already had been etched in his memory.

One soft kiss on the collarbone was all it took for Nick to stir. He flipped his body around so he was facing Monroe, but buried his head in his boyfriend’s chest with one hand full of the short-sleeved Henley Monroe wore to bed. Both slept in shirts and pants; Nick’s were sweatpants while Monroe’s were pajama bottoms. Settling down, Nick’s breathing once again evened out. Monroe chuckled softly, pressing a kiss to his boyfriend’s head, and rubbing his back. 

How they had fallen into such a pattern so quickly astonished him. While he hadn’t had a litany of long-term relationships, it always seemed to take time before he and his partner had found themselves the right positions. That wasn’t the case for Nick. He naturally gravitated toward Monroe and the older man was not complaining. It felt right for them to sleep in each other’s arms seeing as how it was just an extension of themselves. They always seemed to find themselves when separated, like two magnets drawing opposite poles together.

“What are you thinking about, puppy?”

Monroe groaned. “Not again with the dog stuff. I thought I cured you of that.”

Nick nuzzled his boyfriend’s neck, giving the spot a quick lick before planting a kiss. “It’s a compliment, not an insult.” His words were thick with the grogginess that came when first waking up. “I’m your little bear and you’re my pup. That _is_ what baby wolves are called, you know.”

“Well aren’t you full of knowledge first thing in the morning,” the Blutbad huffed with a lack of annoyance. “Speaking of knowing things, how did you know I was thinking about something?”

“You stopped rubbing my back.” He pulled back enough so his head was on Monroe’s pillow and he could get a look at him. “You get disturbingly quiet when you’re thinking something over or working something out. Everything okay?”

A thoughtful smile peeked out. “Yep. Just musing over how comfortable we are with each other that you seek me out in your sleep.”

His laugh was hearty and heartfelt. “I would hope so, I’ve known for you how long?” Nick cupped Monroe’s jaw, running his thumb along that bottom lip. “Now that I finally have you, I can take full advantage. So many times I wanted to touch you when you were scared or pissed off or just being you. All the times I flexed my hands to curb the need, reminding myself it wasn’t my place. Now, it is.”

The second he felt Nick’s touch, Monroe leaned into it. Hearing how Nick had had the same impulses he did and having to rescind, lock away that instinct while someone else had that privilege sparked a wave of protectiveness in him which only seemed to come out to such a degree when it involved Nick. Monroe had a protective streak in him that had him defending the defenseless, but this was different. 

Thoughts of Juliette wasting such a gift with her chaste contact of late built up a heat in his belly that had less to do with protection and more with possession. She never fully appreciated Nick like he did, he could see that now. So much time wasted with the wrong people, but to everything there is a season. Their time had come and Monroe wasn’t going to let a second go by where Nick didn’t know how much he was loved.

Those three words weren’t ready to be spoken, but others were. “You weren’t alone, bärchen. Not then and not now.”

His mouth connected with Nick’s and for a long moment he kept it there. Then, he kissed him again and again and again, a soft, pleased growl slipping out as he realized Nick was letting him take control. Monroe licked his way inside, teasing his lover’s lips open, swallowing the moan Nick gave when he granted him entrance. By the time he had fucked Nick’s mouth with his tongue (there was no other way to describe it as the Blutbad in him had poked its head out to play), both men were hard and panting.

“I thought you were going to woge for a second there,” Nick admitted, breath shaking though his eyes lit up at the possibility.

“You would want that?” Seeing him turned on by the prospect had Monroe having a similar reaction. It never occurred to him that Nick would want all of him in a carnal way. Accepting your lover was a Blutbad was one thing. Fucking them (again that is the only to describe what would happen as there was no gentility when fully woged Wesen have sex) is a whole other can of worms.

“Not now. I am in no way ready for that. But one day, just once. I’m giving you all of me and I want all of you in return. Whenever that time comes it will be the Grimm and the Blutbad, not Nick and Monroe.”

“I could kill you!”

“You won’t.”

Nick’s assuredness soothed some of the nerves that had frayed when the conversation had begun. Monroe knew he tended to lose himself when he woged, but he also was sure that with Nick there, things wouldn’t get out of hand. Still, he had never had sex with a human as a Blutbad, but a Grimm was more powerful than a regular person. A thought struck him that made him slightly uncomfortable; not enough to stop what they were discussing because he was enjoying Nick’s idea.

“Isn’t that bestiality?”

“That’s us, right? _Beauty and the Beast_? Only we’re both parts, Monroe. It’s why we fit. We’re different yet the same.”

Monroe moved down as he dipped his head so it rested on his lover’s chest. His fingers twisting in Monroe’s brown curls, Nick kissed his head.

“Since we’re talking about sex….” Nick began.

Meeting his gray eyes, Monroe swallowed. He hadn’t brought up the subject since that night in his boyfriend’s backyard when Nick made it clear all he wanted to do was literally sleep with him. In all honesty, Monroe figured it would be a few weeks at least before they even talked about it. Apparently, he had underestimated Nick’s sex drive. “You’re ready?”

“Nothing penetrative.” He gave an apologetic smile. “I want to get acclimated before we make love. That said, tongue and fingers are allowed.”

“First of all, don’t apologize. I see what that grin’s about.” Nick’s smile grew wider. “Second, I’m good with whatever you’re comfortable with. That said, I did not see you ready for any kind of anal so soon.”

Nick laughed. “We can work our way toward it but, yeah, it’s definitely something I’m interested in … _with you._ ”

The connotations were clear. There was only one person with whom he would explore his bisexuality and that made Monroe’s inner Blutbad rumble with satisfaction. Nick was his, so he had better make damn sure Nick understood that the same was true for Monroe.

“Whatever you want, bärchen. I’ll give you everything you need.”

“And tell me everything _you_ need so I can give it to you. I want you satisfied, too, puppy.”

This time, the growl that came forth was loud enough for them both to hear. Nick’s pupils were dilated and his cock was making itself known under the loose cotton sweatpants. Monroe’s eyes flicked to his lover’s crotch, his tongue swiping his lips as he glanced back at Nick.

“I’m clean if you don’t have a condom. Got tested while I was in the hospital.”

A half smile curled up one corner of Monroe’s mouth. “I went the morning after I got your groceries. Not that we need them right now, but you’ll be relieved to know I do have them.”

  
  
  
  


Nick squeezed his eyes shut when he realized his faux pas. Who the hell uses a condom for a blow job? Ugh. His naivete was showing and he hated it, even more so when he felt heat rise from his neck to his cheeks. A big part of him was relieved that at least this happened with Monroe and not some random guy. Here, his innocence wouldn’t be taken advantage of, instead it would be met with patience and goodwill.

Still.

A condom for a blow job?

He covered his face with his hands and prayed Monroe would take mercy on him. The soft chuckle that came from somewhere close by seemed to come from right next to him and be all around him at the same time. There was a tug on his wrists urging him to lower his hands. This was followed by a plea from Monroe, who said his name plaintively. Peeking out from between his fingers, Nick saw the wry smile on his boyfriend’s lips.

“I appreciate you wanting us to play safe. Now get your hands away from your face so I can thank you.”

Dropping his hands immediately, Nick welcomed Monroe’s lips on his, losing himself in the kiss to the point where the last minute faded away. When they broke apart, he saw the hunger had returned to those big brown eyes.

“Still interested in a morning blow job?” Monroe growled.

Nodding his head, Nick licked his lips. “God yes. Better your mouth than my hand.”

“Well, in that case….” He pulled down Nick’s underwear and sweatpants, tossing them onto the floor. His eyes took in the sight of his boyfriend in all his glory. The corner of his mouth quirked when Nick opened his legs, allowing him access. “Good boy.”

As he watched Monroe slide between his legs, Nick loved how perfectly the tall, gangly man fit. He saw the wonder etched across his features and was so smitten by it, he pushed himself up to capture those full lips. When he landed back on the mattress with his head on the pillow, his mouth had a dopey grin that matched the one on Monroe’s.

“So it’s okay for _you_ to praise _me_ like a dog?”

“Of course. Now, let me see about earning some praise of my own.”

The wink Monroe gave him sent a shiver up Nick’s spine. He watched him push up the tee Nick was wearing, exposing his chest which Monroe was not shy about claiming for himself. His breathing became heavier the more Monroe worked his mouth over his skin; licks, nips, and open kisses threatening to leave marks as those hands ran down his sides and over his stomach. Nick arched his back, whimpering when his nipples drew Monroe’s focus. No one had ever played with him like this before and he was grateful because more than ever he wanted Monroe to be the one he thoroughly explored his sexuality with — kinks and all.

“We can put nipple play on your list of likes,” Monroe observed. He paused to check on his lover. “Are you okay? Is this too much?”

With a shake of his head while he caught his breath, Nick informed him he was good. “I love what you’re doing with them. Play with them all you want.”

“Thank you. You’re doing so well, bärchen.” He stole a kiss, deepening it enough to tantalize but nothing more. It drove Nick nuts and he knew it.

Monroe continued to tease those buds until they were as red and swollen as their owner’s lips. Then, he inched his way down that treasure trail until he was eye level with Nick’s hard cock. His gaze met, Monroe dragged his tongue along the underside from base to tip.

Nick’s eyes rolled back into his head as he moaned, “Oh, God.”

There wasn’t a doubt in his mind that his boyfriend was only getting started and that aroused him to the point where precum had percolated at the head of his cock. While he was average in size, what he lacked in length he made up for in girth.

As if to prove his point, Monroe sucked on the head for a few seconds; his tongue dipping into the slit drove Nick to distraction. His back arched as he moaned and he thrusted once, but Monroe’s fingers digging into his hips put paid to that. The thought that he would be marked by this man made the corners of his mouth quirk until another moan slipped out.

At times it was difficult, but Nick made sure to keep his gray eyes on those brown ones as much as possible. A connection was being made and like hell was he going to sever it. Instead of taking him in one go, he saw how Monroe wasn’t in a hurry; ensuring Nick wrung every ounce of pleasure from the experience. It was working. He was starting to feel overstimulated and that was when Monroe swallowed him down.

He worked Nick’s cock like it was the most delectable piece of meat he had ever tasted. Nick realized this was as close to real meat the vegan had in his mouth in years. That only made the experience hotter.

It didn’t take long before he started to reach the edge.

“Oh fuck, I’m close. No!” Nick saw Monroe reach inside his pajama bottoms for his own cock, which nearly wiped out a fantasy he’d been having a lot over the past few weeks. “Let me. Later.”

Monroe froze at Nick’s reaction, but gave a short nod when he understood what Nick meant. With both his hands back on those hips, he resumed sucking him off to Nick’s immense relief, which was suspended when his arousal took control of him once more. To Nick’s surprise, the grip was loosened. Taking it to mean what he suspected it meant, he gave a tentative thrust earning a growl in return. 

He canted his hips and became more forceful in his thrusts, never tearing his eyes away from how gorgeous Monroe looked with those lips stretched around his cock as Nick fucked his face. The blown pupils bleeding into the brown irises with that hunger being fed completed the image and pushed him over the edge.

“I’m coming! Oh, Monroe, Monroe.” Nick chanted his lover’s name throughout his orgasm as his thrusts became erratic and his warm cum poured down Monroe’s throat. He watched in awe as Monroe took it all, never having witnessed anyone swallow his cum before. It was a sexier sight than he would have thought and more so since it was Monroe doing the honors.

Once his cock was empty and free from Monroe’s warm mouth, Nick told him to remove his pajama bottoms and climb on him. Having that long, narrow cock right there while Monroe sat on his pelvis was better than any fantasy. That said, Nick saw himself on his knees sucking off Monroe and a warm sensation spread through him at the image. He gripped his boyfriend’s long, hard cock at the base. His eyes flicked to Monroe’s and the next instant their mouths had resumed their dance while Nick administered his first hand job to another man.

Monroe came before long, his cum coating Nick’s hand, which never stopped moving until the last of the aftershocks had passed. Despite Monroe’s protestations, Nick brought that hand to his mouth and sucked the cum off his fingers. Another first, he enjoyed it more than he expected. He pulled in Monroe for another kiss, swearing he could taste them both as their essences mingled.

Collapsing next to Nick, Monroe ran a hand over his boyfriend’s cheek and down to where his heart was located. “You were amazing. Are you okay? Was it good for you? I can’t believe you gave me a hand job!”

Nick burst out laughing at the onslaught, appreciating how cared for he was and proud of himself for being able to care for this wonderful man in some small way. “Oh, Monroe. Thank you. Not for telling me I was amazing.” He blushed at the praise. “But for sharing this with me and being patient. As for the rest, I’m great. Damn, you are good at blow jobs! I can’t wait to give you one and to do so much more with you.

“As for the hand job, I wanted to participate. Another time you can suck me off while rubbing one out. Honestly, that would be hot as fuck.” Nick grew awkward at asking what he needed to know. “Um, out of curiosity, how was it _for you_?”

“Are you kidding? Watching you while I had your dick in my mouth was nothing short of breathtaking. My new favorite thing is seeing you orgasm. You’re so beautiful, Nick. And that hand of yours knows what it’s doing.”

He smiled at his boyfriend’s blush deepening, leaning in to leave a trail of kisses from Nick’s forehead to his mouth. “We need to revisit that sex and kink talk.”

“Definitely. Whenever you want, puppy.” Now that the proverbial ice had been broken as well as a couple cherries popped, Nick was more than eager to play with Monroe in the bedroom and even christen as many rooms in their respective homes as possible.


	5. Chapter 5

The spice shop had a couple customers milling about while one paid for their purchase at the register. It was the most people Nick had seen inside the establishment who hadn’t been part of the Grimm squad for some time. He was happy business was good for Rosalee and hoped it continued to be. Catching her eye, he waved and looked around the shop. Normally, he rushed in needing her help with something Wesen-related and bailed once she assured him it was under control. So, he enjoyed taking his time to peruse her stock and get to know the names of some of the herbs and spices she used to protect his loved ones and save lives.

He was reading one of the cards next to a jar of comfrey when he felt a familiar presence at his side. Pointing to the jar, he commented, “This actually heals wounds?”

Rosalee smiled. “Not your kind typically. But I have used it as an ingredient in a remedy for those that require more than a Band-Aid, but less than a hospital stay. Speaking of which, how are you? I haven’t seen or spoken to you since before you went on assignment.”

“I’m good. Really good.” His own grin nearly split his face in half. Nick held up his left hand to show her the splint that had a few days left before it was scheduled to be removed. “Except for this and a few leftover bruises. The perks of being a Grimm. Fast healing. Pretty sure, my fingers are fine but best to leave it to the professionals.”

“You are damn lucky it wasn’t worse. Grimm or not,” she scolded, her words filled with concern. “I am glad you’re okay though.”

“Thank you. It means a lot to hear you say it.” He looked around the shop and spotted an elderly man standing near the register staring at the jar in his hand. The lone customer after the others had left. “If you need to help him, go ahead. I’m fine here.”

She followed his gaze and sighed. “Mr. Pringle will be at least another few minutes as he debates whether to buy the elderberries or go back for the cardamon. Guaranteed, he walks out of here with the ginger. He’s in here every two weeks like clockwork. I have no idea what he uses it for and he won’t tell me, but he is one of my best customers, so there is that.

“Thinking of getting the comfrey, are you? Now that you have a willing nurse to tend your wounds.” The teasing glint in her eyes accompanied her lightness in tone.

“Actually, I was considering the basil. The face splash recipe you wrote down sounds kinda nice. I bet Monroe would love it.” He clocked the mild surprise that briefly swept across her features. “I knew it!”

“I can’t believe you haven’t seen it yet! The process is quite remarkable.” She was having trouble keeping a straight face, but she managed to accomplish it. “Friday nights before bed — unless he’s away.”

“We haven’t had a Friday night at his yet. I’m looking forward to it even more.”

Rosalee opened her mouth to respond when they were interrupted by a clearing of the throat. “Coming, Mr. Pringle!” To Nick, she said, “Go on through to the parlor. I’ll close up for lunch once I finish with him.”

Having got in contact with Rosalee the day after his and Monroe’s first date at his house, Nick had been both dreading and anticipating seeing her in equal measure. He knew he had been a dick for kissing Monroe the night Juliette broke up with him and hated that she might no longer want to be in his life. While she may be a vital member of their inner circle when it came to Wesen, Rosalee also was important to him. She had been a wonderful friend and he sincerely hoped she would continue to be so. 

If she decided that wasn’t possible, Nick would understand. The last thing he ever wanted was to hurt her and he knew he had. For that, he would never forgive himself, even if she somehow managed to do so. He would apologize for his behavior, letting her make the final call. It was only fair. Ironic considering his being unfair to her put them in this predicament.

So far, so good, but what did he expect? That she would read him the riot act in the middle of her store? Nick rationalized that if she were done with him, she wouldn’t have agreed to see him. His brain helpfully supplied an alternative: Rosalee only said yes so she could tell him to his face what selfish asshole he was before banishing him from her life. That scenario had played on a loop all morning as he exercised at the gym with Hank while Monroe worked from home after getting in his daily routine of yoga, a quick shower, and breakfast.

“Hey. Whatever she decides, you and I will deal with it together,” Monroe had told him before Nick left for the spice shop. “I can see the wheels of your head turning. No internalizing everything. We’re a team. A united front.”

“Haven’t we always been? Nice to see nothing’s changed too much.” He flashed a toothy grin as his heart tightened, grateful for having such a kind, giving soul as his mate.

“Everything has changed and nothing has changed. Which is why I am able to do this.” 

Taking Nick’s face in his hands, Monroe had poured everything he could into that kiss. He could feel Nick accepting it all as he melted against him. Pulling back, he could see the sea change within his boyfriend, the confidence and determination slotting back into place where they had been dislodged by guilt and doubt.

For the second time in a few hours, Nick thanked Monroe. He had been about to plant a kiss on those lips one more time before he headed out, but opted to leave it on his forehead against which Nick rested his own for a moment.

Sitting on the couch now in the rear of the parlor off to the side of the shop itself, Nick took a deep breath and held it for a few seconds before letting it go. When Rosalee entered, he stood, his nerves strung tight enough they could be played with a bow. He sat when she did.

“I’m sorry for kissing Monroe when you two were still together. It was a dick move on my part. Neither of you deserved that, especially you. You have been nothing but amazing and loyal to me. Whatever you decide, however it is you feel about me, I’ll accept without question.”

As he kept his eyes locked on her face, Nick tried to read it while he swallowed the rather large ball of anxiety lodged in his throat, but he couldn’t as it was a blank slate. He meant every word and even wondered if there was something else he should add. Nothing came to mind, so he took it as a sign and kept his mouth shut. God knows he had done and said enough for now.

“That was a really shitty thing you did.” Her words ended the long silence that stretched between them after Nick finished his apology. “When Monroe came in here the next day and told me what happened…. Let’s just say it was a good thing you disappeared when you did. I wanted to woge and rip that model face of yours to shreds. Start with your pouty lips and eyes that look like the sky before a storm, and end with your dick and balls in a stew that I would feed to Monroe.

“Then, after I indulged in that fantasy for probably longer than I should have, I took an honest look at his and my relationship. I’m not an idiot, Nick. I knew there was more than just friendship in your hearts. It was obvious to anyone with eyes. Two seconds in a room together — hell, you didn’t even need to be in the same space. When we thought we found Adalind in here while Renard’s mom was working on a way to get you your powers back, Monroe _woged_ at the sight of her. I think that’s when I knew I would never be enough. He doesn’t react like that for just anyone.”

She was right. Monroe had a healthy control of his emotional state, but attack someone he loved and the gloves came off. “He’s done it for you,” Nick pointed out.

“Yeah, but this was different. You weren’t there. It wasn’t the first time and as we both know it won't be the last.”

Words failed him. He wanted to comfort her in some way, but couldn’t. Anything he said would sound trite or condescending. All he could say was _I’m sorry_ which no one needed to hear. His silence was enough.

“You look happier,” she commented when he remained silent long enough. “I know it wasn’t easy at the end with Juliette. I also know she was aware of your feelings for Monroe and probably of his for you. He didn’t tell me anything about the breakup. I hope it wasn’t too painful.”

He could have cried at the ray of hope that shone down on them. Rosalee was offering him an olive branch and he took it with optimism cracking through his heart. “It could have been worse, I suppose. There was a moment there when I thought it was going to get ugly. She brought up the bone of contention in our relationship, my being a Grimm and how much I loved it, and then she mentioned Monroe….”

Remembering how close he had been to losing his temper that night had him closing his eyes now, taking another deep breath in through his nose, letting it settle, and then blowing it out his mouth. A hand sliding into his caused his eyelids to flutter open, his gray eyes looking into rich brown ones.

“It’s over. You’re safe and cared for. Remember what I said earlier?”

“That I look like a model?”

Rolling her eyes, she smirked. “Whatever. You know you're handsome.” She enjoyed seeing the faint tint appear on his cheeks. “You are happier than I’ve ever seen you. There’s a lightness that only used to come out when Juliette wasn’t around. You seem less guarded. I like this Nick.”

“You can tell all that from just a few minutes?” His voice trembled even as he tried not to let his hopes soar too high.

“I can.”

“Would you be willing to spend more time with this Nick?”

“I’m planning on it.”

Nick let out the breath he hadn’t realized he had been holding and unleashed a bright smile as he bowed his head, squeezing the hand Rosalee had placed in his.

“If I can forgive Monroe, I can forgive you,” she rationalized. “Thank you for reaching out. And for your apology. It really means a lot.”

“I would have done it sooner if I could,” he admitted, “but you deserved an in-person apology. I’m just thrilled you agreed to see me. Pretty sure I was driving Monroe nuts with my guilt-ridden neuroses.”

“Oh my God, you two are perfect for each other.” 

That blush on Nick’s cheeks deepened into a lovely rose shade. “I haven’t mentioned this to Monroe yet, but I’d like to have the gang round for dinner one night. Us, you, Hank, and Wu. Interested?”

“Yes! Absolutely! Just tell me when.” Checking her watch, her shoulders slumped. “I have a customer coming in a bit for a consultation that I need to prepare for. Plus, I need to eat.”

He stood, not bothered in the slightest. “I understand. We’re good? You’re not just trying to keep the peace?”

She pulled him into a hug. “We’re good. I promise.”

Before he walked out of the shop, Rosalee grabbed a container of basil leaves and handed them to Nick. He balked at the kind gesture when she refused to accept his money. “Take care of each other. Then, we’ll be even.”

With a nod, he took the gift and left a kiss on her cheek.

  
  
  
  


“That smells great!”

The aroma of vegetable stir fry had smacked Monroe’s sense of smell the second he reached the door while he stood on the front porch to let himself inside Nick’s house. It was one of his favorite dishes and he could never get enough. As an added bonus, Nick’s recipe was a little different from his own. His stomach rumbled its approval when he entered the kitchen just as Nick dumped the contents of the wok into a large bowl. Monroe deposited a kiss on his boyfriend’s shoulder so as not to disturb him and make a mess.

“What can I do to help?”

Handing him the wok, Nick instructed, “You can put this to soak and maybe grab the soy sauce on the counter? Unless you rather have it on the side so you can add what you want to the noodles.”

“No, not at all. Add away.” He gave the bottle of soy sauce to the chef and let the water run a few minutes while he added dish detergent to the wok. With those tasks completed, Monroe turned back to Nick. “What else?”

A soft chuckle as Nick stirred the sauce into the white rice and vegetables. The smile on his face warmed Monroe more than any meal could. “Grab us something to drink? I’ll be done with this in a minute.”

With dinner laid out on the table, Monroe pulled Nick to him before they sat down. He held his boyfriend tight, pressing a kiss on his head, letting out a content sigh when Nick melted in his arms. “I know I saw you a few hours ago, but I missed you. How did it go with Rosalee? Not gonna lie, I was worried.”

“I missed you, too.” Nick pulled back enough to see that adorable, bearded face. “I know you were and I really appreciate you putting up with me going into that. Long story short, it went well. Better than I deserved if I’m honest.”

He smiled at the noise coming from Monroe’s stomach and before his boyfriend could say anything further, Nick officially welcomed him with a kiss that satiated any need for now.

If this was how they were going to start every dinner, Monroe approved. He also was relieved things went well with Rosalee. Visions of cruel words and a violent assault had flashed through his mind while he was out on an appointment with a client. Rosalee had quite a temper when pushed, though his rational side told him it would work out since she had been able to forgive him. Then again, Monroe could also see how she might lay the blame for the dissolution of their relationship at Nick’s feet. Thankfully, it hadn’t come to that.

“I decree we forever say hello like that.” While he craved the delicious smelling meal Nick had cooked, he also hungered for something more. First, food. Then, fun.

“Forever, huh?” His gaze flicking from Monroe’s eyes to his mouth and back again, Nick ran his teeth over his boyfriend’s bottom lip. “Motion passed. Now, let’s eat before the food gets cold.”

After dinner and much praise from Monroe about how good it all was, the couple settled on the couch in the living room with the window overlooking the porch behind them. Watching Nick nestle himself into his side with one hand on the older man’s chest, Monroe tried to recall if he had ever felt so perfectly matched with someone. The answer was simply no. His mind wandered to their age gap, which had never been an issue before.

Eleven years didn’t mean much when you were friends, so why did it suddenly loom large in his mind? He hadn’t been wrong when he told Nick earlier that nothing had changed and everything had changed. So was the difference in their ages one of them? It wasn’t a secret that he had more life experience than Nick. That extended into the bedroom. Another reason he had wanted to discuss sex was because their tastes could be quite different. When the topic came up briefly this morning in bed, Monroe thought he sensed a yearning in his lover to explore. Perhaps it was simply wishful thinking on his part, but he wanted to know.

“Hey.” Nick sat up, staring at him with concern. “Where’d you go? Is everything okay?”

“Yeah. Yeah. No, I just–” he fluttered his hand around his head, “–got distracted in here. I’m sorry I zoned out. What were you saying?”

Those gray eyes narrowed, which Monroe recognized as his detective look. He was in for an interrogation and man, did his boyfriend look hot when he was in this mode. That smolder went directly to his cock, setting up for an interesting evening going forward.

“Nothing important. What distracted you?”

“You never used to care this much when I got lost in my head.” It came out a bit more pointed than Monroe had intended, so he flashed a smile to take some of the edge off.

It didn’t work.

In fact, it only made it worse … for him.

Nick raised an eyebrow, otherwise saying nothing for a minute. Then, he straddled Monroe, leaning in until the other man’s back pressed into the cushion and giving him a hard stare that ensured Monroe couldn’t look away.

Like he would. Detective Nick was in control and was honestly the sexiest thing Monroe had ever experienced. His cock agreed as it bulged in his pants, trapped beneath the cotton layers of his boxers and his trousers. There was no way for him to adjust himself nor for Nick not to notice the effect he was having on him.

“I _always_ cared, Monroe. Back then, I had to stay in my lane for the most part. Now, we share that lane. I was going to give you the option of doing this easy way or the hard way, but, um.” A small smirk played on his lips as he wiggled his hips, his suspect rewarding him with a moan. “You already made your decision.”

His hands gripping the back of the couch on either side of Monroe’s head, Nick ground down into his boyfriend’s lap. He was not immune to the effects of his own interrogation method. However, he knew how to keep his body in check for the most part. It could get messy later if he continued down this road.

“If you want me to stop, all you have to do is talk. I can do this all night.”

Monroe gave him a smirk in return. “Now why on Earth would I want you to do that? Especially when you’re edging me so well? _And_ we’re doing role play? I’m good.

“For the record, Nick, I always knew you cared.”

The grinding stopped.

“We can resume once you tell what you were thinking about.”

“I’ll tell if you promise to stay on lap until I’m done talking.”

With a short nod, Nick agreed. “Deal. I can tell this is weighing on you. It’s why I’m pushing so hard.”

He leaned back, but made no indication he was going to move off Monroe.

“I never realized how well you know me.” Taking Nick’s hands in his, his eyes never strayed from that handsome, scruffy face.

“I think we know each other better than we realize. The perks of being best friends first.” Nick’s features were soft as he waited to learn what had bothered his boyfriend so much. “Out with it.”

Exhaling slowly, Monroe began. “As most tangents do, I was thinking of one thing and that led to another and another. When you called me out, I had been pondering our age difference. It’s not that small.”

“It’s not that big either. You’re older than Rosalee, too. Are we doomed because you’ve got a few years on me?” Nick wasn’t accusing him, rather pointing out facts. He didn’t understand why this was suddenly an issue.

“No, of course not. I’m not saying it’s a big deal, I was just ruminating is all.”

Lips pursed together in a way that had Monroe wanting to take the bottom one into his mouth and suck on it, Nick pondered what had been said.

“So, what led to this rumination? Walk me through it.” He ran his thumbs over Monroe’s fingers, their hands still clasped.

“It’s the brain, there’s no pattern. I had just concluded that I never truly fit with anyone so perfectly before you.”

A dazzling smile broke out on Nick’s face. “I’m glad we’ve come to the same conclusion. Continue.”

Monroe brought his boyfriend’s hands up to his lips, kissing the back of each one. “Then, I recalled our sex talk from this morning and that brought me to life experience and the age thing, which really isn’t a big deal. I just got stuck on it for a second.”

Nick leaned in again, an earnestness and sincerity in his features that endeared him even more to the man before him. “I fell for you knowing you were older and more experienced not because of that, but because you are the most beautiful creature inside and out. If either of us should be having doubts, it’s me. I am a flawed human and a Grimm for Chrissakes. How the hell was I ever worthy of you?”

His breath caught as he heard what Nick said, his own reply came out in a rasp. “You didn’t kill me when we met, for starters.” Monroe shook his head, searching for a more meaningful response. “I’ve been asking myself that question in regards to me for the past few months. I’m deciding right now it doesn’t matter. I’m just thrilled I _am_ worthy.”

“Me, too, puppy.” Catching his mouth, Nick held the kiss for a long moment. He put his mouth next to his boyfriend’s ear and whispered, “You are everything to me.”

Tears welled up in Monroe’s eyes. Blinking them away furiously, his tongue lay thick in his mouth. Speech was impossible, so he didn’t even try. A shiver ran over his body as he buried his face against Nick’s neck. The swell of emotion was overwhelming and he needed a moment. When Nick placed a hand on his nape to comfort him, Monroe let out a shuddering breath.

So naked yet so safe. 

He was home.

  
  
  
  


“I’ve decided we should just stay at your house from now on. We have too many emotional breakdowns when you come here.” A sly grin on Nick’s lips as he walked into the living room with a glass of water for his boyfriend, who was sitting slouched on the couch.

“Twice since we started dating,” Monroe pointed out. “That’s nothing compared to what’s happened here before we got together.” He thanked Nick for the water as he took the glass from his hand. “Besides what would you do with this place if you were at mine most of the time?”

Thinking it over for a couple seconds as he sat down next to him, Nick decreed the most obvious choice. “Turn it into my own personal man cave.”

“In other words, keep it as it is and use it when you think it’s too late to come over after work.” Monroe sipped his water, eyes trained on the other man.

Nick laughed and shook his head. “Yeah, pretty much.” He rubbed Monroe’s trousered thigh, his eyes filled with concern. “You okay? I’m happy to keep talking if that’s what you want. Whatever you need.”

He pressed a kiss into the brown curls. Seeing his man so vulnerable destroyed some of Nick’s own chinked armor. It oddly gave him strength in their relationship that Monroe shared a few of Nick’s insecurities. They both had similar views of each other, but not of themselves. Was their vision of self so skewed they couldn’t see how others saw them? To Nick, it certainly sounded like it, which made him determined to hear Monroe when he praised him. For Monroe’s sake, Nick hoped he would do the same. At least he could help by attempting to drill it into his head.

Talking with Monroe always made Nick feel closer to him and he hoped the feeling was reciprocated. He wasn’t the easiest person when it came to sharing his emotions, but once he connected with someone that flow of information became easier. It shocked him how quickly he had opened up to Monroe back when they first became friends. Once the Grimm was out of the bag, the back and forth came with little hesitation. There was some initially, just not as much as usual on Nick’s part.

Sharing that side of him, the Grimm part, was like a key unlocking a gate. It didn’t always bring safety and comfort. Violence and death were part of the package, too, as he learned soon enough. Aunt Marie’s passing was proof. As was his mother’s. The dissolution of his relationship to Juliette became another body for the pyre. 

There were good things that came out of him accepting his heritage.

Monroe and Rosalee, for starters. They kept him grounded while he kept one foot in the Wesen world and the other in the human world. Separately, as well as together, they gave him hope that having real love in his life wasn’t a pipe dream, something for normal people. Nick wasn’t a big believer in fate. However, it was hard to argue the notion considering how he met them both. One thing leads to another, so the saying went, and thankfully, he was led to them.

There also was Hank, who struggled at first with Nick’s revelation, but came to accept the truth and him. Nick was so grateful his friend hadn’t walked away despite having every right to do so. This life he now lived wasn’t for everyone and yet Hank continued to prove he wasn’t going anywhere. Good thing, since Nick had no idea what he would do without his partner. He hoped he would never find out.

Wu only found out about Wesen or Grimms a year ago and when that window of innocence was shattered, it left some scars. Thankfully, he had come round to accepting the way the world truly was, but it wasn’t an easy journey for him. The cases Nick and Hank were called in to investigate were becoming more Wesen-related, so not having him in the dark made things easier. He had become an even bigger asset than he already had been and was truly part of the Grimm squad.

Finally, there was Trubel. Theresa Rubel was a young woman whom Nick had come across during an investigation a couple years ago. To say he was shocked that she was a Grimm yet unaware of it was an understatement. For too long, she had thought she was crazy despite knowing what she saw was real. It took meeting Nick to give her peace of mind and him the little sister he never knew he wanted. Her natural instincts made her exceptionally good at the job after working through the expected growing pains. Their bond ran deep. They were family.

“Talking’s good, but maybe take a break from the hard-hitting stuff.” Monroe placed his hand over the one Nick had on his thigh. “That said, I’m thinking I like having emotional revelations here. Connects me to this house and to you.”

“In that case, I think it’s high time we have some kind of cathartic breakthrough at your place.” Nick thought about what he just said. “Actually, now that I hear that, I’m thinking we’re probably covered.”

The men broke into loud, barking laughter. After all the times they had dealt with Wesen problems, as well as their own issues while at Monroe’s house — not to mention the period they lived under that roof when Juliette didn’t remember Nick upon waking from a coma after being poisoned from a scratch delivered by the cat of now-reformed Hexenbiest Adalind Schade — the idea of them needing to have an emotional scene there tickled them.

“No doubt we’ll feed it something at some point, but no need to force the issue,” Monroe sagely concluded.

Nick agreed wholeheartedly. He noticed his initial query had been ignored and that wouldn’t do. “You didn’t answer my question.”

“I’m better. I didn’t realize how much all that had been weighing on me.” Admitting that made him look lighter if the look on Monroe's face was anything to go by. “Thank you for listening and not freaking out at my freaking out. Also, the straddling was nice. Like a weighted blanket.”

“I will happily straddle you whenever you want.” The warm smile came from the heat that spread from his chest outward. “Just say the word. Being your blanket has officially become one of my favorite things. We both have neuroses regarding our relationship. I’m selfishly relieved to know I’m not alone there. Which is why I think that these talks of ours are good. If I learned anything from my time with Juliette is that communication is key.”

Monroe nodded in agreement. “We’ve never had trouble telling each other things, it’s true. Though I think we find it harder now that so much more is on the line. And you are way more neurotic than I gave you credit for. My apologies.”

“Yeah, well, you don’t have the monopoly on that front.” His gaze went to where his hand was covered by Monroe’s. Nick kept it there while he made his next statement. One that he was only now starting to realize. “I think Juliette screwed me up more than I thought. Not intentionally, but she did. She rejected me when I wanted — and got — my abilities back. She made me think, for the first time, I wasn’t enough. That I wouldn’t be for whoever I dated.”

He met Monroe’s eyes, a quick flinch in his own features when he saw the fire in those big brown eyes; momentarily thinking the quiet seething was directed at him before discerning it was aimed at Juliette.

Adjusting his position on the couch, Monroe cupped Nick’s face and captured his gaze. “You, Nick Burkhardt, are enough. For me. For anyone lucky enough to cross your path. If someone out there feels otherwise, then they aren’t worthy of you _._ I adore who you are. The Grimm that stole this Blutbad’s heart deserves every ounce of love I can give and, trust me, you’re going to get it.”

Nick’s heart was fit to burst. So many thoughts and words and emotions were fighting for dominance within him that he did the only thing he could. He kissed Monroe hard on the lips, taking them for his own again and again. When his lover pulled him onto his lap, Nick went willingly. His arms wound around those broad shoulders after he left Monroe’s mouth behind, pressing his nose into his boyfriend’s neck to breathe in his scent.

“So much for staying away from the hard-hitting stuff.” He smiled at the soft chuckle Monroe gave in response. “Trubel says hi, by the way. She texted while I was getting you water.”

  
  
  
  


“Are you sure we’ll both fit?”

“There’s plenty of room. Trust me.”

Monroe held out a hand to Nick from where he sat in the bathtub filled with herb-infused water. The idea of them taking a bath stemmed from Nick presenting him with the container of basil leaves he brought home from the spice shop once Monroe spied them on the couch. Nick had them behind his back when he returned to the living room with the glass of water.

While he thought his idea was inspired, Nick seemed hesitant at best and terrified at worst. A change of scenery along with aroma therapy seemed ideal in Monroe’s mind, especially after laying their souls bare earlier. From that perspective, Nick appeared to embrace the idea, heading upstairs to take care of the tub while Monroe headed to the kitchen to add an orange peel to the basil. As luck would have it, Nick discovered a shirt of Juliette’s that had been misplaced in the move that was made of the perfect material for a sachet bag.

That the shirt had been “misplaced,” as Nick put it, got a raised eyebrow from Monroe, who thought it unlikely Juliette wouldn’t have turned the house upside down to make sure she had everything she wanted, whether it was hers or not. His boyfriend shrugged, a mildly embarrassed look on his face though he didn’t look away. It occurred to Monroe why Nick kept it. When he asked him, Nick confessed he stole it awhile ago to keep her close when Juliette had amnesia and didn’t remember him. Monroe appreciated that sweet reason more than he could say.

Everything had been going swimmingly until Monroe took his seat in the tub. Nick had stripped down to his boxer briefs when he froze. When asked if the scent of the sachet bothered him, Nick admitted it smelled amazing. He needed a final push, the _why_ not clear to Monroe in the moment. The query as to whether the tub would hold them both was another flag, but the older man was confident all would be explained once his boyfriend joined him in the refreshing water.

A sigh of relief blew out of him when Nick stripped off his underwear, took Monroe’s hand and entered the bath. Monroe held him close, wrapping his arms around the other man’s shoulders with Nick’s back against his chest. Almost instantly, he felt Nick melt into him and smiled as Nick lolled his head so it rested on Monroe’s shoulder.

“See? Isn’t this nice?”

Nick let go a bit more, his muscles relaxing while he settled into his boyfriend’s embrace. “It’s wonderful. I’m sorry I got so weird about it.”

“Why did you? I was watching you and it seemed like you were at war with yourself. Sharing a bath with your lover should not be something you have a battle over.” A wave of insecurity crashed over him. “Did you think I was forcing you? I really wasn’t.”

“I never thought that. Not for a second. This was all me.” Nick sighed, annoyed with himself rather than with Monroe. “This is the most intimate I’ve been with anyone in years. The last time I suggested taking a couple’s bath, the response was not the most receptive to put it kindly.”

He closed his eyes thinking back to the noticeable recoil Juliette had at the notion, her nose crinkling and the downward turn of her mouth only adding to the wound that came with the rejection. That had been over a year ago. The signs had been there, so why did it take so long for them to end things? An answer that he kept coming back to made him ashamed for being so selfish. Because Monroe was taken and there was no one else Nick would ever want. It seemed easier to keep things status quo, which only made them infinitely harder.

“Taking a shower together is intimate,” he continued, his eyes open. “But sharing a bath is a whole other level. It leaves you vulnerable and….” Struggling to express himself, Nick took strength from his boyfriend, who squeezed him tight and nuzzled his head against Nick’s. “That scares the shit out of me because I cannot lose you. It’s stupid, but I’m so scared that if you see the real me you’re going to run out that door and I am going to be alone and abandoned and I can’t. I can’t go back to that. That’s how I felt when I thought both of my parents died.”

“Oh, bärchen. I don’t think there’s any facet of you that would have me running for the hills. If I haven’t tore out of here screaming yet, I think it’s safe for you to let that fear go.” The small chuckle that came from Nick lifted Monroe’s heart. “You’re right in your analysis about showers versus baths. But that’s one reason I love them. It forces you and your lover to just _be_. I think that is so cool. To unlock that kind of next-level intimacy that few couples truly get to share.”

Nick had never thought of it like that. Hearing it from Monroe’s perspective shattered what was left of his reservations, those roots that took hold in the final year of his relationship with Juliette. Not giving all of himself to Monroe would mean his ex had won and like hell was that going to happen. His boyfriend had told him in no uncertain terms that Nick was enough. That validation would fuel him for a long time.

He lifted one of Monroe’s hands, pressing a kiss onto the two middle knuckles. “So how do we get enough points to unlock this Valhalla of intimacy? Discussing our sexual history and our kinks? Because I think I’m ready for that. Mind you, I’m very boring. I’m talking straight up vanilla, not even vanilla bean.”

“Of all the ice cream flavors I would have chosen for you, vanilla is not one. Hell, it’s not even on the list.”

“Please tell me it’s not rum raisin. If it is, just lie to me.”

Monroe scoffed. “Not even. God, I would _never_ do that to you.”

“Thank you.” Turning his face toward his boyfriend’s neck, Nick nuzzled it before brushing his lips against the warm skin.

“Tell me why you believe you’re vanilla when it comes to sex.” It was a request, not a command. The quick nip at his neck before Nick replied told him the vanilla was yet another branding from those who didn’t take the time to get to know him and not indicative of the man.

“I’ve had a few lovers in my life, but none were particularly adventurous — which I had no issues with. I was happy when they were willing to give blow jobs. The best ones were those who were willing to give as well as receive. I would go down on them, they would go down on me. Sex toys haven’t ever been on the table. No, wait. There was one girl in college, but they were beyond me then so we never used them. Needless to say, that relationship didn’t last.

“With Juliette, she liked to ride me and wanted me to go down on her, but blow jobs were a hard no because of her gag reflex. She would occasionally run her tongue along the underside while giving me hand jobs, which was nice.”

A snort ripped from Monroe. He didn’t believe that the tiniest sliver of oral while giving a hand job was enough for his lover. Nick was a tactile person for whom touch was everything. There was barely a moment when they were together when Monroe didn’t feel him on his arm, back, shoulder, et cetera. With the blow job and hand job they shared this morning in mind, Monroe was willing to bet that a more interactive sex life was exactly what Nick not only wanted but needed.

“As horrible as it sounds when I say it now,” Nick admitted, “I was happy with our sex life. It was enough for me then.”

“I sense a _huge_ however coming.”

The smile that spread across Nick’s lips was a welcome sight after all the anguish he had been through tonight. “This morning was amazing. It was like coming out of the desert to find a real lake from which I could quench my thirst. Only it didn’t. I’m thirstier than I’ve ever been and it excites me so much.”

Running his hands over that muscular torso from pectorals to abdominals, Monroe scooped up the warm water and let it follow a similar path to that which he had just traversed. “What do you want to try, bärchen? I seem to recall nipple play and talk of anal.”

Watching the heat rise from Nick’s neck to bloom in his cheeks triggered a warmth in Monroe’s chest stemming from his heart. He continued to take water in his hands, letting it cascade over the younger man’s arms, careful to avoid the splint on Nick’s left hand.

“Yes,” Nick breathed. He was having trouble focusing with Monroe bathing him. “Um, spanking. And I want to be tied down. There are these silk ropes that look like they would feel amazing.”

Talking about his deepest sexual desires had perked up his heretofore soft cock and, if he wasn’t mistaken, it had the same effect on Monroe’s, too.

“Hearing you open up like this is so hot.” The Blutbad within also approved. Monroe squeezed Nick’s shoulders, then let his hands slide down those strong arms. “I like that I was right about you. That you want a lover who’s also a partner, someone you can play with.”

“That’s exactly what I want. You’ll be that for me.”

He met his lover’s eyes and the confidence Monroe saw in them was the sexiest thing ever. That was the Nick Burkhardt he had fallen in love with, the Grimm that knew what had to be done and did it.

“I will,” Monroe vowed. “I’ll be that and so much more.”

  
  
  
  


A soft chill had Nick pulling up the covers over his shoulders as he turned onto his side and moved to snuggle against his warm boyfriend who emitted heat like a furnace. Only instead of the solid form that was Monroe, he found an empty space and cool sheets. He sighed heavily, remembering Monroe had an early appointment to meet a client who was entrusting him with a valued piece of the person’s clock collection. It was a huge project that would net a healthy influx of cash to Monroe’s business, something that was always welcome. Besides that, the clockmaker was genuinely excited about the opportunity. Nick smiled while recalling his enthusiasm. Monroe was such a nerd, but he was Nick’s nerd and that made his heart swell.

Last night, his clock nerd made a different organ swell while they were in the bathtub. Their discussion of kinks had them both aroused, leading them to tend to those needs while in the water. Keeping their positions, Nick had grinded against Monroe while the other man gave him a hand job that put his own self-administered ones to shame. They came a few seconds apart with some cleanup required. It was Monroe who had suggested Nick rub his ass against his cock and damn did that awaken some new sensations. 

Going back to sleep crossed his mind now until he heard someone milling around in his kitchen. Spending even thirty minutes with Monroe would be better than not seeing him until tonight. Nick got up and hit the bathroom, located directly across from the bed, then made his way downstairs where he found his boyfriend getting ready to make an egg dish judging from the frying pan on the stove and the eggs sitting in a bowl on the counter.

Monroe was standing at the stove adjusting the heat so the frying pan could warm up while he finished getting his ingredients ready. The mushrooms were being emptied off the cutting board and onto a small plate when Nick slid his arms under the other man’s armpits, his fingers curling over his lover’s shoulders.

“Hey you!” He leaned back into Nick’s touch, smiling when he felt the press of his boyfriend’s lips to his nape. “This is a nice surprise. I didn’t expect you to be up for at least another hour. Did I wake you?”

“Morning, pup.” With a shake of his head, Nick stood holding his man a little longer. “Got cold and found there was no one to warm me up. This works.”

“I’m sorry. I’ll make it up to you tomorrow morning. Promise. This is the only appointment before eleven for the rest of the week and all of next.”

“I’ll hold you to that.” Nick nipped at that nape, smiling at the low growl that came from his boyfriend.

A second later, he was released from Nick’s embrace. Monroe turned around, framed that perfect face in his hands, and kissed him properly. It was slow and sweet with just the right amount of heat. “Good morning, bärchen.”

“Good morning, baby.” His words slurred slightly as that kiss had been intoxicating. Nick wanted more yet found he could wait, knowing more was always available when there was time. For now, he pulled back and gazed adoringly in Monroe’s eyes. “You want any help getting your breakfast together?”

“You offering to be my sous chef?”

“I’d offer up other items, but you’re on a schedule.”

Monroe sighed. “I’m thinking maybe I shouldn’t have taken on this client. These late starts have become highly addictive after only a few days. As have you.”

Brushing his lips against Monroe’s, Nick then rubbed their noses together. “One morning won’t kill us. Especially since I know how important it is that you get to restore this piece. As for the rest? Ditto.”

He stepped back and over to the counter next to the stove with the ingredients for what he guessed would soon be an omelet. “Seriously. Can I help?”

“Keep me company? I can handle the rest,” Monroe added with a wink. “Coffee should be ready soon if you want a cup. I also can make you an omelet.”

“No, I think I’m going back to bed after you leave. I don’t have to meet Hank at the gym until 10:30. If we don’t grab something post-workout, I’ll come back and make one for myself. Thank you though.”

Nick watched Monroe as he went about fixing his breakfast, his own question about how he could help echoing in his mind. Last night in the tub, he had been so distracted by the sex that he never got around to asking Monroe about his sexual predilections. This bothered him as he very much wanted to contribute in that department, as well.

“Going back to the sex talk from last night,” Monroe’s eyes met his while he split his attention between Nick and the omelet, “what are you into? Is there anything you’d like to try? I don’t want this to be all about me.”

Not saying anything for a moment, he considered Nick before turning down the heat on his meal and putting a lid over the pan. Monroe wanted to give this conversation his full attention. “Before I answer that, will you answer a question for me? It will play into what we’re talking about.”

“Sure. Go ahead.”

“Top, bottom, or switch. How do you identify yourself?”

That was not the question Nick had been expecting though he realized now he should have. Thinking back on his responses to what he wanted to try, the answer seemed obvious. However, the obvious wasn’t always the correct answer.

“Switch with an emphasis on bottom.”

A pleased smile bloomed on Monroe’s lips. “Good. I thought you were a bottom considering what you’re keen on trying. Not sorry to hear you’re a switch.” 

The last part was accompanied by a wink that made Nick blush.

“I only asked because I was dying to know and I never got around to asking you last night. And before you ask, no. Your reply did not affect my answer. One main thing I want to learn more about is the Dom/sub dynamic. You mentioning the type of activities that piqued your interest only made me more curious. Remember I told you about Ambrose and how the one good thing about our relationship was how I learned about a few kinks I didn’t know I had?”

Not wanting to interrupt, Nick nodded.

“That was the big one. I remember how good it made me feel when I saw how that type of relationship can be mutually beneficial with the right partner. Not that we have to go full throttle with it. I’d prefer to keep it in the bedroom, honestly.”

“Agreed. Though with your possessive nature, I’m pretty sure there may be some bleeding into our day-to-day life.” This time, Nick winked with a half smirk on his lips.

“Fair.” Monroe smiled as he returned to the stove and his breakfast. Dialing up the heat and removing the lid, he kept the conversation going. “For the record, I’m up for everything you said last night. You are going to be so gorgeous performing all of those. I’m not sure which I’m looking forward to more: having you over my knee for a spanking or tied to the bed.” He caught that lovely blush as it deepened on Nick’s cheeks. “My personal kinks include temperature play and orgasm withholding.”

Stepping closer, Nick cocked his head. “Withholding _your_ orgasm or mine? Also, I need to Google temperature play.”

Monroe chuckled while flipping his omelet in the pan. “Yours, of course. Though I like where your mind is at. We can try it with me if you’d like. As for temperature play, that’s a longer conversation.”

“Yes to the orgasm withholding, but probably not right away. Once we’re having full-on intercourse, I would definitely like to try that at least once.”

“Absolutely. I love how open you’re being with me regarding your wants and needs.” The omelet done, Monroe slid it out of the pan and onto the waiting plate. “You know what we could do, considering your lack of experience with toys, is go to a specialty shop. There’s a great place on Division Street I’d love to take you to if you’re interested. Plus, they offer classes and the staff are super knowledgeable should we want to check out a sex club at some point down the line. _Not that we have to_. Just saying the option is available.”

The one time Nick stepped foot into a sex toy shop it was to interview an employee about a suspect in that Dom/sub case from a year and half ago he mentioned to Monroe the other night when they were just a few feet away from their current location. It seemed like a whole other world to him, but Hank didn’t appear perturbed. Nick suspected it wasn’t his partner’s first visit to such a store and he recalled feeling a bit envious at the time. Now, it appeared he wouldn’t feel like that again.

“How about next Saturday? We can grab lunch afterward. I already promised Hank we’d go see the Beavers play this week since baseball season started while I was gone. As for the sex club, let’s just play that one by ear, yeah?”

“It’s a date.” Monroe sat down at the dining room table, smiling as Nick brought in a fresh cup of coffee for him and planted a kiss on the crown of his head before joining him. “No worries. Just please don’t Google temperature play. That is a rabbit hole you do _not_ want to fall down.”


	6. Chapter 6

Visiting the sex toy boutique in South East Portland was an eye-opening experience for Nick, who felt his world expand significantly, then shrink exponentially once he understood how intimate this shopping trip was not only for him, but for them as a couple. He was grateful Monroe was his escort through this brave new world as he might not have made it through the door if he had come alone.

The shop was bright and open, giving off a welcoming vibe that Nick appreciated immensely and that was before a salesperson greeted them. Sid gave the couple space to peruse the store and encouraged the men to let them know if there were any questions as they would be happy to help. As he and Monroe took their time perusing the inventory, Nick looked around the boutique. It reminded him of a bookstore a few blocks from here. Maybe after lunch they could stop by.

Some items were beyond Nick’s understanding, but Monroe explained when he could. Once he comprehended their use, it was easier to say yes, no, or maybe so. For the most part, Nick took notes on his phone and snapped photos of a few items he might want to come back to later, including a double-hearted slapper that made his jeans extra tight between his legs when Sid described how it worked. 

His ass was still a touch sensitive from his spanking a couple nights ago, his third since they started last weekend. Remembering how he had draped himself over Monroe’s three-tier coffee table — knees on one of the lower ends, torso over the main section, and hands palm down on the other low end — ass on display and the sting that went straight to his cock, smack after smack after smack until he came in tears yet thoroughly satisfied.

Monroe caught his eye as Nick drooled over the slapper, a warm smile on his lips that only grew wider as Nick’s neck and cheeks caught fire. “You are so adorable,” he teased after Sid left them alone once more. “You should see the heat in your eyes.”

Unable to stop himself, he caught his boyfriend’s lips in a quick kiss. One that was over too soon for Nick’s liking. “Let me know when you’re ready for your next spanking. I’ll be happy to tell you how naughty you’ve been.”

That was why this exploration into his sexuality had been so fulfilling thus far. Monroe didn’t judge or try to control him. He let Nick set the pace when it came to his own kinks, always respecting his decisions (something Monroe did both in and out of the bedroom). They talked over everything before trying a new act, like the spanking. As it turned out, Monroe got more from it than he expected that first time and Nick jerked him off while being held by his lover. It was an amazing night.

At the register, Monroe surprised him by paying for everything despite them having decided not a few minutes ago they would pay for their own toys. “You only have your first sex toy boutique visit once. Let me do this for you.”

The gesture was so sweet and sincere, Nick’s heart felt as though it had exploded into confetti. He pressed his lips to his boyfriend’s scruffy cheek. “Thank you, puppy.”

He kept his hand on the small of Monroe’s back while Sid rang up a package of red silk ties and a spanking kit featuring a massage candle, honey dust, spanking powder, and a slapper for Nick; and a black stretchy silicone cock ring, a green tea bubble bath (Nick’s suggestion as he enjoyed their baths), and broad tip nipple clamps (a gift for Nick) for Monroe.

Back in the Landcruiser, Nick thanked his generous boyfriend with an extended makeout session, not caring who saw them. Portland was an open-minded city, so a queer couple kissing passionately in their vehicle hardly would bat an eye. Besides, it’s not like their friends weren’t aware of their relationship. They had their love and support, which meant everything. Trubel nearly blew out his eardrum in the voicemail she left him last week where she _loudly_ made known her joy. 

He missed the woman he considered to be his kid sister something fierce. She was due into town tomorrow, which meant she would miss the big family dinner tonight with Rosalee, Hank, and Wu. It was a celebration for Nick and Monroe, as well as for Nick, who was returning to work Monday. Then again, a small family meal with just him, Monroe, and Trubel would be wonderful. They would cook her a homemade meal, which she would devour because that was what she did with food. 

Lunch was at a local Latin American eatery they both frequented regularly. The lunch crowd began to descend on the small, two-story restaurant so the couple were shown upstairs to a table for two next to the windows on one side of the room. There was ample light as the windows wrapped around the top section of the space with wood-paneled walls below.

Each ordered a bowl and an unsweetened iced tea. Nick’s bowl contained slow-cooked shredded chicken thighs with onions, green chiles, and smoked paprika; rice; black beans; fried plantains; verde sauce; plantain sauce; cabbage salad; queso fresco; and cilantro. Monroe’s bowl was filled with black beans, rice, cabbage salad, fried plantains, guacamole, bico (beet pico de gallo), verde sauce, plantain sauce, and cilantro.

Between the light breakfast they shared earlier and the big dinner still to come, they wanted something savory to keep them full in the interim. During their meal, they discussed the menu for tonight to make sure they had everything they needed before heading back to Nick’s, where the gathering would be held. He loved the idea of having the gang over like old times. It had been far too long since they had all been together under one roof and the thought made him melancholy. Tonight was going to be great and he couldn’t wait to cook alongside his boyfriend.

Thank God the splint on his left ring and pinky fingers had been removed yesterday. Nick couldn’t stop wiggling them, not to mention flexing and crossing and bending. Monroe finally had to intertwine their fingers while they watched a movie last night just to get him to stop fidgeting. Honestly, it had been a win in Nick’s book. With a wry grin, Monroe had shook his head at the contented look on his boyfriend’s face.

Nick insisted on lunch being his treat after the generosity Monroe showed him at the boutique. Monroe allowed it and hit the men’s room while Nick settled up. A few seconds later, the seat opposite him became occupied once more. “I’m paying. Don’t try to talk me out of it.”

The laughter in his voice died when he looked up from his wallet and saw who was sitting across from him. A chill enveloped his body from his heart to his toes. _You have got to be kidding me._

“Hey, Nick. You look good.”

“Juliette. You look well.”

She hadn’t changed much in the intervening months, not that he had been expecting a huge makeover. Long, straight red hair hung past her shoulders with a nervous smile plastered on her naturally pale face.

“What are you doing here?” Hidden away on the top floor, the chances of her walking by and finding him sitting alone were slim. Could be a coincidence, but his years as a cop and a Grimm only proved why he didn’t believe in them.

“Came in to pick up my order, which isn’t ready yet. I saw your truck outside and guessed if you were here, you’d be upstairs. Guess I was right.”

Her jovial mood and the singsong way she said the last sentence made his instincts take notice. Nick’s guard was up. He proceeded with caution.

“Yes, you were.” Rising, he added, “Well, it was nice seeing—”

“What are you doing, Nick?” She cut him off with an exasperated tone and chilly hazel eyes.

He sat back down, happy they were getting right to it. His instincts hadn’t let him down yet. “I’m paying for lunch and leaving.”

“With Monroe.”

“We had lunch together.” His answers would remain vague as he owed her nothing. Two weeks ago, this may have gone differently. Since he started to really look at the end of their relationship and how he had let her take advantage in ways he was only learning, his attitude had changed. Perhaps he should have picked that fight with her the night they broke up. Might have avoided this ambush on what had been an excellent day so far.

“Jesus. It’s enough you … are what you are, but did you really have to do _this_?” With disgust, Juliette gestured at the table where it was obvious two people had been sitting despite the dishes having been cleared away.

Nick leaned in, determined to keep his voice down while resigning himself to what may be a lost cause. “What is it exactly you think I’ve done that’s so despicable?”

Her mouth puckered, relaxed, puckered again as she struggled to form the words. The way her nose crinkled as though she smelled a foul odor indicated whatever she was about to say she didn’t like.

“Spit out, Juliette. I haven’t got all day.”

“You are going to ruin his life just like you nearly did mine!” she hissed, nostrils flared. “He wants normal and you’re giving him the opposite. I can’t _believe_ how selfish you are! He and Rosalee were happy. How dare you bust them up so you can satisfy an itch.”

Slamming his hand down on the table, Nick took satisfaction in seeing her flinch. “You didn’t want to be with me once I embraced my true self. That’s fine. But don’t you _dare_ pretend to know anything about relationships that have nothing to do with you. I don’t want your judgment. I don’t need your concern. I have someone who loves me for who I am _now_ , not what I was in the past. Someone who supports me while I continue to learn more about myself, not chain me to an ideal.”

Standing up, he shrugged on his jacket and reached behind Juliette for Monroe’s, which hung on the back of her chair. The bill was shoved in his jacket’s front pocket.

“You are my past. He is my present and my future. We are not friends, you and me. Never contact me again.”

He wasn’t surprised to find Monroe standing a few tables away when he turned around. His enhanced senses had picked up Monroe’s footfalls and noticed when his breathing had changed when he worked out who had joined him at their table. Nick also felt it when his boyfriend had returned as though the other man was sending him love and encouragement somehow. Maybe it was a Grimm/Blutbad thing? No immediate answer came to mind and in the moment, he didn’t particularly care to investigate.

“We’re leaving,” he intoned, handing Monroe his jacket.

“Right behind you,” came the reply.

Monroe didn’t give Juliette a parting glance, keeping his gaze on the back of Nick’s head as they made their way downstairs to the register.

  
  
  
  


Stepping out of the bathroom located on the second floor on the other side of the space, Monroe had been in good spirits. They had no plans for the rest of the afternoon aside from cooking, which didn’t need to be rushed. He had been thinking maybe they could put one or two of their new purchases to good use when he smelled a new yet familiar scent and it was paired with one he knew intimately. Nick was distressed. Reaching the dining area, Monroe saw Nick’s hunched shoulders while sitting at their table. 

This wasn’t a good sign.

For Nick, that indicated tension and as Monroe moved closer he could see how his boyfriend was holding himself, back rigid with his voice a low growl. 

Oh, this wasn’t good _at all._

It was obvious Nick was talking to someone, but he blocked the other person who sat in the spot Monroe had previously occupied. A few seconds later when Nick got up, the mystery was solved. Seeing Juliette woke his inner Blutbad, the hostility on her features not helping matters. Though he had no idea what she had said to Nick, it wasn’t farfetched to guess it had to do with the two men being romantically involved.

His heart went out to his boyfriend and he did his best to send waves of love and solidarity to him. The relief he saw could only be found in Nick’s eyes as his face was a torrent of rage. Hearing they were leaving was just what Monroe had wanted and he gladly took his jacket from Nick. No way was he going to look at Juliette after the stunt she had just pulled. Who ambushes their ex in a public place anyway?

At the register, the woman who took care of them was concerned they didn’t like their meals judging only by the unsettled looks on their faces. They assured her that wasn’t the case and the food, as always, was delicious. Never once had they had a bad meal there and today was no exception. She relaxed at their rave review, handing them a few coupons for next time. Once they were outside, they were able to decompress briefly on the sidewalk near the street before heading back to Nick’s vehicle.

“What the hell was that up there?” Monroe had never seen Nick and Juliette like that, as he was used to them being a mostly happy couple. Obviously, he was aware things went south by the end, but this was the first time he understood how bitter their uncoupling had been for them — even if they didn’t reveal it then.

“I have no idea.” Nick was just as flabbergasted as his boyfriend. “She shows up out of the blue like nothing’s wrong, which I knew wasn’t the case from the Barbie smile she had plastered on, and then she’s unloading on me about how I’m a homewrecker who is leading you astray. Apparently, you’re an itch that needs to be scratched.”

“Are you fucking kidding me?!” The growl came out as did the red eyes, though that was far as he got before Nick cupped his face and started talking him down. He didn’t get far unfortunately as they were interrupted by Juliette shouting Nick’s name as she ran out of the restaurant..

Instinctively, Monroe stepped between them as he shielded Nick from the interloper who seemed determined to ruin anything good in light of her newfound scorched earth policy. He felt a bit calmer than a few seconds ago, his eyes back to their normal shade of brown as she approached. However, she wasn’t welcome. “You’ve said enough, Juliette,” he growled. “Go home.”

She looked up at him determinedly. “I’m doing this for your own good! What you’re doing is only going to bring pain and misery. Being involved with him means a lot of lonely nights and a lot of heartache. It’s not worth it! Go be with Rosalee! I know how much you love each other. Or if not her, then find yourself a nice female Blutbad and live a normal life.

“After everything you know about non-traditional couples being targeted — _especially_ considering what you and Rosalee went through when your parents found out she was a Fuchsbau — do you really want to go through it again and _worse_ with Nick?”

There was no denying she made a fair point in regards to his parents’ initial reaction — they had since come to love Rosalee and were disappointed when they learned the couple had split — not to mention bigots, in general. His mom and dad may be a potential hurdle, but they knew Nick and liked him. He hoped that was enough to smooth any ruffled fur on their part. What Juliette didn’t seem to grasp was that he and Nick had Rosalee, Hank, Trubel, and Wu to lean on and have their backs. They had one hell of a support system. They were solid.

Also, she really needed to keep her voice down. He didn’t like how she announced in public that he and Rosalee were Wesen, and what types they were. You never know who could be listening.

“Whatever those bigots want to throw our way, we will handle it. We are not going to live our lives in fear — not when there is so much beauty and joy in the world. While our true friends have been supportive with the change in our relationship status, it’s still good to know where you stand. Your concern would be touching if it came from a good place, but it doesn’t. I’m sorry your life hasn’t turned out like you thought it would, but that has nothing to do with us.”

While he spoke, Nick stood at his side with one hand on his back, a constant source of strength as he dealt with Juliette. Monroe had no idea where all this vitriol was coming from and he honestly couldn’t care less. This was the sort of close-mindedness he expected from the pureblood zealots who thought mixing the bloodlines with interspecies relations was disgusting and would do anything to keep it from happening.

Juliette had never been so ugly in her heart and it pained Monroe to see her spiral like this. However, she was no longer his concern. Whatever direction she took in life from here on out, he just hoped it took her far away from him, Nick, and their friends. Unfortunately, she hadn’t finished yet.

“This is just a phase!” She glared at Nick for a moment before giving him a sympathetic gaze. “I know you! I don't know what this is, but it’s not you. Your relationship with Monroe was a joke. _They’re so close they should be dating._ We laughed because of how ridiculous it was. Why are you doing this? Let me help you. I am your friend despite what you may think.”

That was the final straw.

Monroe came close to woging with his Blutbad ripping its cage to shreds, begging to be released to take its vengeance on this woman. Only Nick took charge of the situation first, stepping into his ex-girlfriend’s personal space. Juliette didn’t move. His face showed no emotion, his eyes dark. The hand he had on Monroe’s back slid into the one that hung at the other man’s side after curling as though the Blutbad was ready to claw her throat out, their fingers interlacing. Before Nick spoke, Monroe squeezed that hand to let him know he was onboard with whatever was about to occur.

“You are not my friend. You are not _our_ friend. What I told you upstairs has not changed in the three minutes since I left. What you said is offensive. Everything you have said today is an insult not just to us, but the life we are building. If anyone said that to you and me when we were together, you would have ripped off their head and shoved it up their ass. I don’t care why you’re acting like this, I just hope it stops. You’re better than this.”

She looked as if Nick had slapped her and a big part of Monroe wished he had, but what he said was the verbal equivalent. For a moment, it looked as though she might cry. Would it have been sincere or another ploy to get Nick or him to walk away from their relationship? As she opened her mouth — to say what, Monroe had no idea and was grateful he didn’t have to find out — another voice cut across the tension.

“Order up!”

Without another word, Juliette took the bag from the woman standing just outside the door. The same person who had been behind the register when Nick and Monroe had paid their bill. Only the woman didn’t let go, instead telling Juliette she was banned from her restaurant.

“I heard everything you told them. My customers sitting right here heard. We are all disgusted. This is a queer-friendly business as are most of the restaurants on this block. I’ll make sure they all know about you, Juliette Silverton. Thank you for paying by credit card. It made putting a name with the face that much easier.”

The bag now in Juliette’s hands, she simply nodded and took a few steps back. One final look at Nick and Monroe revealed tears in her hazel eyes and shame (or maybe it was embarrassment?) flooding her features. She took off down the sidewalk, turning into one of the side lots where her car was parked.

Seeing the restaurant owner coming toward them, Monroe put up his free hand with the palm out. “We are so sorry.” To the patrons staring at them through the eatery’s front windows, he called out, “We’re sorry to have disturbed your meal!”

“It’s my fault.” Nick took the blame despite the fact he hadn’t instigated the public display. “She’s my ex-girlfriend. I thought I had shut it down when she cornered me upstairs, I had not. I apologize for any inconvenience—”

“Stop.” She held out a hand. “Jacinta Rodriquez.”

Nick introduced himself and accepted her gesture. Monroe did the same when she extended the same greeting to him.

“This wasn’t your fault,” Jacinta assured them. “One of my busboys saw the whole thing upstairs while he was clearing a nearby table. She shanghaied you. From what I understand, the only thing she didn’t call you, Nick, was an abomination. Attacking your queerness, your relationship with Monroe. That was uncalled for. I hope you won’t let what happened stop you from dining with us or enjoying everything this area has to offer.

“We stand together here. You strike out against one or two of us, you go against us all. Even if one of us is a Grimm.”

Jacinta contained her woge to her eyes, but it was enough to convince the couple.

“I had heard the rumors. Never imagined I would ever get to meet you. Guess everyone needs to eat.” She smiled. “Like you, I meant everything I said. In fact, your next meal is on the house.”

The men protested, but she made it clear she wouldn’t take no for an answer.

“Keep your friends close and your Grimm closer?” Nick teased.

Hands on hips, Jacinta lifted a shoulder. “Can’t hurt, right? Take care of each other. I have to finish up the lunch crowd.”

With a wave, she disappeared back into the restaurant leaving them alone on the sidewalk as a small stream of people trickled past.

Monroe pressed a kiss to Nick’s forehead. “Why don’t you let me drive? I know where we can go. Somewhere safe, I promise.”

Digging the keys out of one of the pockets of his jacket, Nick handed them over. “As long as you’re here with me, I’m safe. Know that.”

It was then Monroe realized they were still holding hands, fingers interlaced; proof they were a united front no matter what.

  
  
  
  


“She said _what_?!”

Rosalee’s eyes were wide with a healthy mix of disbelief and indignation as she listened to Nick and Monroe tell about their lunch date. Her lips snarled while absorbing every detail, finally woging into a Fuchsbau when she heard about Nick’s sexuality being just a phase. At one point in the recent past, she had considered Juliette a friend. Even though she was human, Juliette had stepped up more times than Rosalee could count during their short friendship. 

How dare she insult Nick in such a way? Not to mention discount his and Monroe’s obvious love for one another? It was clear to her now that Juliette had refused to see the way these two lit up around each other or checked in with each other when it came to important matters or even the glances and small touches. They always had been that way with each other as far Rosalee could tell. 

Thinking back on her romantic relationship with Monroe, she had no regrets. In all honesty, he was the same man now he was then only happier because he found his soul mate. He had told her it wasn’t until they helped Nick get his Grimm powers back that he realized he wanted to be more than friends with Nick. Even then, Monroe shoved those feelings down as not to ruin everything between him and Rosalee, as well as between him and Nick. She hated he had to hide a part of himself like that, but was thrilled it all worked out.

Even if it had left her heart cracked, though not broken. It was healing just fine, thank you very much.

Which was why it now swelled with a pent up fury that threatened to become unleashed. No one went after her family without paying a price. Rosalee may have been initially scared when she thought of all the vitriol her friends may have borne the brunt of for her initially finding something good and pure in this big bad world with Monroe — not to mention if the Wesen Council ever got wind of their relationship — but that was then. She had come out of myriad dark experiences in her life stronger in every way that counted. That strength would be put to excellent use.

“See?” Monroe exclaimed, pointing at their friend while talking to Nick, who sat next to him on the sofa in the rear of the spice shop. “You should have just let me have at her! Rosalee gets it!”

“Yeah, we all get it, which is why it was a bad idea.” Nick set down his teacup and saucer on the wood table in front of them. He looked at her in the armchair to his left, where his friend sat diagonal from him. “Rosalee, we appreciate the gesture, but it will solve nothing. We all know this.”

She reverted to her human self, rolling her eyes while crossing her legs and arms. “Fine, but you’re not leaving until you finish your tea. It’s already having an effect. You don’t look nearly as pale as when you arrived.”

He flashed a smile in her direction as he retrieved the cup and saucer, taking another sip. Its warmth and herbs working its restorative magic on him as he swallowed. Nick had been feeling drained and dejected after the horrific encounter with Juliette, more than he had realized until after he got into the passenger seat of the Landcruiser. She had come out of nowhere, landing jab after jab until she thought she had him on the ropes. Both times, he had come back to land the knockout punch — with help from Monroe and Jacinta at the end of the second and final round. 

It wasn’t as though he wasn’t aware he and Monroe were ripe for attack being in love and in a committed relationship from total strangers. To have the first blow come from someone who once had known him better than anyone had blindsided him. He and Juliette didn’t leave things on the best of terms, but he hadn’t figured her to be so against everything he had come to embrace in his life — from who he was to who he loved. 

Lesson learned. 

Still, she wasn’t a hateful person nor was she as close-minded as she appeared today. Nick tried to put himself in her shoes. However she learned he and Monroe were a couple, it couldn’t have been easy to wrap her mind around the fact the man she had been with for nearly five years was now with another man.

Had the tables been turned though, he wouldn’t have randomly dropped in on her to tell her the feelings she had for another woman were a mere curiosity that wouldn’t last longer than it took to tie the laces on your sneakers.

“Nick!”

“Hey! No!”

The concerned voices of Rosalee and Monroe snapped him out of his reverie to the revelation he was about to snap the handle off the teacup and break the saucer, as well. Nick relaxed his grip on both and took a tentative sip of tea. His cup was nearly empty, but as a precaution he placed both on the table.

“Sorry, guys.” He put up his hands with a self-deprecating grin on his lips in an attempt to lighten the mood. “Backing away from the china.”

Rosalee smiled at him compassionately, her soft eyes brimming with understanding. “Are you okay?”

“Where’d you go, bärchen?” While they sat on the couch, Monroe had kept one hand on Nick’s inner thigh and vice versa. Now, that hand was rubbing his boyfriend’s back in a circular motion while his other hand rested on Nick’s thigh.

“I’m fine,” Nick told the others. “Just got lost in my head thinking about earlier. I was trying to work out what had set her off, but all it did was piss me off instead.”

He rubbed his hands over his face a couple times before taking one of them and carding it through his dark hair, giving it a good ruffle afterward. His free hand lay on his thigh, atop the one Monroe had there.

“This is going to stay with you for awhile, but you _will_ heal,” Rosalee assured him. Glancing at Monroe, she added, “That goes for both of you.”

Monroe nodded. To Nick, he said, “We talk and share and take those steps away from it together.”

Dropping a kiss on Nick’s shoulder, he suggested postponing the family dinner. That was met with instant derision from his boyfriend and their friend. Neither Nick nor Rosalee thought that was a good idea. Monroe was relieved, but if Nick had agreed there would have been no further discussion.

“We need this.” Taking Monroe’s hand in both of his, Nick made a stand. “She doesn’t get to win. I knew going into this with you that someone would inevitably take offence. Did I know one of those people would be someone I was close to? Of course not, but it changes nothing. I know I haven’t talked much about the assignment I was on, but don’t think for a minute that a possible relationship with you and what that would mean were not at the forefront of my mind during those nine weeks. ‘Cause I assure you that is all I thought about those nights I couldn’t sleep. And there were a lot.

“You’re always on my mind. Even now.”

“So, I went on this retreat while you were away,” Monroe began, enjoying the double take Nick did upon learning this, “and I did a lot of thinking, too. About how I felt about you, is it real, is it reciprocated, is it worth the risk, should I walk away? I mean, I slept great out there, so this was mostly during my meditation periods.”

The room filled with laughter, punctuated by Nick commenting, “You’re such an asshole.”

“What I’m saying is,” Monroe continued once he calmed down, “that I know we both didn’t rush into this. We’ve been through this before to varying degrees. We got through it then and we will get through it now. It’s going to be worse because I’m Wesen and you're a Grimm. That’s not a secret. It was one of Rosalee’s reservations when we talked about it while you were gone.”

“ _One of_ your reservations?” A note of skepticism crept into Nick’s voice.

“I have a list.” Her devilish grin unnerved him to her delight.

“Oh.” Nick blanched at the implication, letting out a shaky chuckle filled with relief a long moment later when she winked.

“In all seriousness, it terrifies me to think there are people out there getting wind that a Wesen and a Grimm are in love and a couple, who want nothing more than to destroy that bond and the two of you.

“I’m on your side one thousand percent no matter what. That is Bible. I believe it when you both say you’ve weighed the pros and cons, and that your love for each other is too great to walk away. So stop trying to convince each other and prove it by living your lives … _together_.”

His phone buzzing pulled Monroe’s attention away, causing him to reply to the text that just came in before refocusing on his loved ones. “And on that note, we should get going since we have a dinner to cook,” he glanced at Nick, “unless you wanna say _screw it_ and just order a bunch of pizzas.”

“Tempting, but no. I’ve had pasta on the brain for a week and I will feed that craving with copious amounts of delicious carbs.” Looking at his watch, Nick raised an eyebrow. “We still have a little time….”

“I want you to lay down for a bit before we get started.” Monroe peered at him. “You definitely have your color back, but a little rest wouldn’t hurt.”

Knowing he had his best interests at heart, Nick didn’t put up a fight. He had done enough of that for one day and the thought of relaxing with his six-foot-three-inch puppy curled up at his back sounded perfect after a traumatic afternoon. Nick made sure to properly thank Rosalee for her hospitality, as well as her friendship. The certainty he would see her again in a few hours with the rest of their family warmed his heart.

Too bad Trubel wouldn’t make it in until tomorrow.

When Monroe pulled into the driveway at Nick’s house, he told him to go on in and that he would grab their shopping bags from the sex toy boutique. As there were only two bags, Nick didn’t feel too guilty about leaving his boyfriend to handle it. He entered through the kitchen and made his way through the alcove, intending to head straight upstairs to bed. Instead, his instincts told him he wasn’t alone in the house and the other person wasn’t Monroe, who had yet to come inside.

Heading toward the space formerly known as the sitting room, Nick got as far as passing the foyer when a figure jumped out from the living room and into his path.

“Surprise!”

Theresa Rubel frowned when she saw pain underlying the joy on his features and in his slate gray eyes. She brushed away the jet black bangs of her pixie cut that fell over one eye, then opened her arms.

“Trubel.” It was all Nick could do not to run into her welcoming embrace. “I missed you so much.”

The intensity with which he held her made her heart tighten. Monroe had seriously underplayed how much Nick was going to love seeing her a day early. She locked her light brown eyes on the other man’s as he entered, dropping a couple shopping bags on the first landing on the stairs. 

Hands in the pockets of his trousers, Monroe smiled wanly and shrugged to convey how fruitless it would have been to explain in a text.

He had a point.

“I missed you, too, Nick. Good thing I came early then.”

  
  
  
  


The jubilant tone of the evening began the moment Nick and Monroe started cooking dinner with Trubel observing from her perch on the counter through to their friends arriving and the meal itself. She had appointed herself as official greeter, welcoming first Rosalee, then Hank and Wu who carpooled together with Hank driving. Trubel’s presence was a happy surprise to all, each one giving her a giant bear hug in greeting.

Nick and Monroe shooed everyone away from the kitchen with their friends’ talk of helping, telling them to go hang out in the living room or the backyard now that Nick dressed up the outdoor area a bit with select pieces of furniture. Not wanting to be too far away from the food, the gang opted to stay indoors with the option to take the party outside after dinner.

Italian was the theme of the meal with spinach ravioli in a garlic white sauce, two types of pasta (a thin spaghetti and fettuccine) and sauce (marinara and alfredo), and two loaves of garlic bread topped with mozzarella cheese, plus extra marinara for dipping. The dining room table was piled with food to be served family-style and with all six chairs occupied, it made for a boisterous affair.

Nick took his usual perch at the head of the table in front of the wide, curtained window. Monroe sat at the other end as feelings of nervousness, but mostly enthusiasm, coursed through him. He had only sat on Nick’s left whenever he had previously dined in this room so to take the other power seat as his own gave him a bit of a headrush that he honestly was enjoying. Feeling Nick’s eyes on him, Monroe glanced up once he was settled to find an intense heat mushrooming over his cheeks and up his neck from the wink and grin aimed directly at him by his boyfriend.

Hank sat on Nick’s left while Trubel took the chair on the right. Rosalee sat next to Hank on Monroe’s right with Wu between Trubel and Monroe. Choruses of _Ohmigod, this smell amazing!_ and _I can’t wait to taste this!_ puffed up the couple’s chests with pride though they were humble enough to deflect the praise until their guests had sampled the wares on display. Once that occurred (and they agreed), Nick and Monroe happily accepted their friends’ compliments.

“What have you been up to since you were last seen in Portland?” Wu asked Trubel between bites of ravioli.

His question took her by surprise when she realized he had directed it at her. Slurping a cluster of spaghetti with marinara into her mouth, her naturally wide eyes stared at her dining companion while she finished what was in her mouth.

“Why? You want to arrest me again?” Before Wu had learned the truth about the Wesen world along with Nick and Trubel’s parts in it, all he knew was she had been connected to several deaths — one of which had happened in this house. It was still a sore point with her, though she had mostly forgiven him. Forgetting was not happening.

Wu leaned toward her. “The night is young and filled with mysteries.”

She was quiet for a moment, her face blank. The next, she burst out laughing. “You are so weird. I love it. I’ve been keeping my nose relatively clean. Do the job. Move on before anyone looks too closely.”

“What’ve you been doing for money?” Nick had taken an active interest in the conversation. He always did when Trubel was the subject.

“Oh … I’ve been getting by,” she hedged.

He shot her look that made it clear that wasn’t a good enough answer.

Picking up her fork again, she used it to bounce on the pocket of air above her plate. “You know what else you should have made? Meatballs.”

The fork now was pointing repeatedly in the direction of her mouth. Nick got the message, chuckling appreciatively.

“No offense, Monroe,” Trubel added, leaning over her plate as she looked down the table at the man sitting at the other end.

“None taken,” he assured with a warm smile. “In fact, there are a number of really good vegan meatballs out there.”

Trubel nodded her impatiently. “Okay. Great.”

It took a few seconds for Monroe to grasp at what she was hinting. “Oh, you mean now?”

“Ohmigod,” Nick exclaimed exasperatedly. “Eat some more garlic bread. There’s plenty of pasta to go round. You won’t go hungry.”

“Oh, I know. I’m just saying.” She took two more slices of garlic bread from the platter handed to her by Hank before turning back to her plate. “You know I have a bottomless pit for a stomach. That hasn’t changed.” Taking a bite of the bread, she moaned appreciatively. “I forgot how good your garlic bread is. Okay. I’m good.”

The table broke into light laughter, which Trubel lifted a shoulder to while twirling fettuccine alfredo on her fork. She was working through a pile of each pasta and sauce, in addition to the extra slices of garlic bread.

Talk turned to other innocuous topics for awhile while everyone continued to enjoy their dinner. Wine glasses had been refreshed for everyone but Trubel, who preferred soda and poured herself a fresh can when she emptied her glass. Eventually, stomachs had been filled to the point where no one felt like moving from the table, so they remained to allow their food time to settle. Nick and Monroe cleared the table while again refraining from any assistance. Everything remained in the kitchen with the food getting placed in the fridge to be handled properly later.

“Not to ruin the festive mood here,” Hank began once the hosts were seated once more, “but have you run into Juliette? It’s none of our business, I know, but I gotta say I’m really curious as to what her reaction will be to your blissful union.”

Nick and Monroe exchanged a look that did not go unnoticed by Hank and Wu, who exchanged a look of their own.

“You should tell them,” Trubel spoke up.

“I agree,” Rosalee concurred. “It’s not fair to keep them out of the loop and it might affect them at some point.”

Wu raised a hand. “In that case, I vote let’s tell Hank and Wu what the hell you’re talking about.”

Hank started to parse this was something bigger than he had thought when he broached the subject. “I totally stepped into some shit here, which I did _not_ realize. It really is none of my — _our_ ,” he gestured between himself and Wu, “— business.”

“Uh, speak for yourself,” Wu told him. “I get the feeling this is totally our business and the women agree, which is good enough for me.”

“They’re right, Nick. We were going to tell them anyway. Might as well be now.” Monroe pulled a face, showing there wasn’t much of an alternative.

Nick had no intention of arguing. After the disaster of not clueing in Wu to the wide world of Wesen sooner, he had vowed never again. He launched one last time into the events of that afternoon inside the restaurant and outside on the sidewalk. The kaleidoscope of emotions that spun through Hank’s and Wu’s features, and even Rosalee’s and Trubel’s despite them having heard this all before, pushed Nick to see the tale through to the end. Monroe had not been unaffected by reliving each second all over again, especially the attack on the sidewalk in front of the restaurant.

Silence descended on the party like a cloud. It wasn’t long before the first strike of lightning hit courtesy of Wu.

“That bitch.”

“Is she fucking insane going off on you two like that?!” Hank chimed in, glancing at both Nick and Monroe. “Damn. I guess I did not know Juliette as well as I thought.”

“Get in line,” echoed Rosalee, arms crossed over her chest. “Every time I think about her attacking Nick and Monroe like that, it makes me _so angry_. The thing is, I believe this is her having difficulty accepting Nick moved on so quickly. Who wouldn’t in her shoes? But what really sticks in my crawl is how _easily_ those words came from her. Knowing that kind of hatred for being other was just there, ready to be tapped.”

She shivered, hugging herself for comfort, then smiling at Monroe appreciatively when he squeezed her shoulder.

“Also, how weirdly specific she was,” Trubel pointed out. “It was a hundred percent about Nick. Not so much that she was trying to save him and Monroe from this alleged fate worse than death — a happy ever after—”

“Like the one she thought she had been denied when Nick got his Grimm powers back,” Rosalee retorted.

Trubel snapped her fingers and pointed at her friend. “Yes! It’s like she was trying to undo all that had happened by convincing you guys you would be better off in your bubbles like you were before because then she would get back the life she wished she hadn’t thrown away.”

“One woman’s trash _is_ another man’s treasure.” Monroe gazed directly at Nick with a soft smile that warmed the object of his affection from the inside out.

“Lucky us,” Nick returned with a wide smile and eyes so filled with love they might as well have had hearts bursting from them.

“I would have just slapped the cuffs on her right then and charged her with disturbing the peace. I’m sure Jacinta wouldn’t have needed much convincing,” Hank said, making his case.

“That’s what I said!” Trubel’s hand slammed onto the table. “Or at least make a citizen’s arrest.”

“So, wait,” Wu interjected while Trubel and Hank high-fived and Nick fell back into his chair, accepting he had lost control of this discussion. “Jacinta, the awesome owner of our favorite Latin restaurant who just _banned_ Juliette’s bony ass from her establishment until the end of time, is Wesen?”

“Are you really surprised?” Hank shot back.

“No. Just picking up a detail that we seemed to skate over,” he replied nonchalantly.

Rosalee looked from Monroe to Nick and back to Monroe. “You said she only woged with her eyes to tip you off, nothing more?”

“Yeah.” Monroe took pointe. “It was hard to get a read on what kind of Wesen she is like that, but I don’t think we have to worry.”

Picking up from his boyfriend’s look, Nick nodded. “I agree. At some point, maybe she’ll reveal herself, but until then I don’t see why we should push it. She’s earned our trust after today and vice versa.

“As for Juliette, don’t seek her out. After seeing the look on her face after Jacinta banned her, I don’t think she’s going to be stirring up any more trouble. Call it wishful thinking, but I saw resignation and perhaps even some acceptance there.”

He looked around the table, taking a beat to make sure each of his friends understood this was non-negotiable. Trubel was the most reluctant, but eventually she agreed. Hank was the second most hesitant, while Wu would follow Nick’s lead. Same for Rosalee and Monroe without question.

“Now that we’ve got that settled,” Monroe declared, “can we _please_ bring the mood up? This is a celebration! Nick is finally going to have something to do with his days once more!”

A whoop went up among the group gathered around the table, Nick included. However, that didn’t mean he would let go the dig his boyfriend just threw his way.

“Bored of me already?”

“More like you’re the one who is bored,” Monroe countered.

“Next time, we both take off at the same time and no one will be bored,” Nick fired back.

Monroe paused to consider that offer. He couldn’t disagree with the sentiment. “Deal.”

“Okay, ew!” 

Trubel’s hands flew to her ears as her lids slammed shut and she scrunched her face up as though she had just experienced the most distasteful thing ever. Hearing Nick refer to his sex life with such creepy delight quite possibly covered it. She was happy for her brother — if anybody asked, Trubel never failed to tell them she had a big brother who was a Portland police detective — but no sister wants to know what her sibling gets up to in the bedroom with their significant other. Gross.

Nick slung an arm around her shoulders and pulled her toward him, whispering a private word in her ear that had her revolting. His grip tightened as he brought his chair closer and used his other arm to make sure she stayed put, laughing at her discomfort which wasn’t too off-putting as she was giggling, as well.

The rest of the table talked among themselves while the pair of Grimms, more like siblings than blood could ever make them, enjoyed some much needed alone time. There would be more to come tomorrow when they would spend the entire day together, though Monroe had agreed to join them for dinner. Sharing Nick with Trubel would never be an issue for Monroe and she loved him for that quality more than he would ever know.


	7. Chapter 7

**THIRTEEN DAYS LATER**

  
  


It had been quite a busy stretch for Nick and Monroe from that eventful Saturday nearly two weeks ago. Trubel initially planned to stay for a few days, but extended her trip when Nick and Hank came across some Wesen trouble while working a case. No way was she going to say no to working side by side with her brother from another mother. Having Trubel as his partner again had felt like no time had passed and more than once, Nick wished she could stick around. There was no reason for her to do so, but before she left, he got the impression that if he had asked she would have accepted.

That was why he never offered.

She had her own life to live on her terms. If she decided Portland was where she wanted to be, then he would welcome her back with open arms. Until then, it was Trubel vs the world and that was the way it should be.

So it was nearly two weeks later when Nick and Monroe found themselves alone one night after work with no plans for the next couple days, which was exactly how they wanted it this weekend. They were back at Nick’s place after a lovely date night that included dinner at one of their favorite restaurants, which they visited tonight for the first time together, followed by a leisurely stroll along the waterfront.

Last night, Nick declared he was ready for them to consummate their relationship. Only the announcement didn’t go the way he had planned it. Truth was he had no real plan when it came to telling Monroe, but how the truth was revealed decidedly was not what he had in mind. 

Monroe had been stuck on a service call that was running late, so he offered to pick up dinner. Nick got off work on time, but Hank had a date that night and Wu was working the late shift, which put the kibosh on the idea of afterwork drinks, so Nick went straight to Monroe’s house. He had been ready to seal the deal, so to speak, with his boyfriend since the night of the family dinner. However, Trubel staying with him made that impossible, so he waited and waited. With a free weekend ahead, it seemed like the stars were finally aligned.

He had been reading articles and blog posts — and watching the inevitable online tutorials — on how a guy prepares himself for his male lover. The consensus seemed to be that it’s great foreplay if done by your partner. Nick was all for that, but he was also a curious bärchen and wanted to get a sense of what lay in store.

As luck would have it, Nick was not the only one who received a sneak peek.

Not finding his boyfriend anywhere downstairs after he dropped off the two pizza pies — one vegan, one absolutely not — in the kitchen, Monroe came upstairs to check on Nick when he walked in the bedroom to find a naked boyfriend impaling himself with one finger, head thrown back with abandon, the sweetest whimpers slipping between those lips. It was hands down the hottest scene Monroe had ever witnessed in his life despite not much actually happening. He kept his mouth shut and took in the visual splendor before him for as long as would be allowed. Nick, so absorbed in his activity was he, hadn’t noticed he was no longer alone.

When he did, he froze mid-act with his finger inside him and a deer-in-headlights look on his handsome features. “Shit. Monroe. I–”

“Don’t you dare apologize.” He pointed at Nick to emphasize how serious he was. “Of all the things I could have walked in on, this is one of the sexiest.”

The blush that hit the dark-haired man’s cheeks, coupled with the quick tuck of his chin before meeting Monroe’s gaze once more, made that familiar warmth spread through the older man’s chest.

Closing the gap between them, Monroe asked, “Why didn’t you just tell me you were ready? I was already back there once this week! You didn’t have to hide it from me.”

Rising to his knees again, Nick pulled his finger out and turned to face his boyfriend. “I was going to tell you tonight. This,” he gestured haphazardly at his naked form, “was not planned. My curiosity got the better of me.”

“Is that what we’re calling it?” An eyebrow raised skeptically as Monroe’s gaze went to Nick’s hard cock and back to his partially dilated eyes.

With an easy grin, Nick took his lover’s face in his hands and brushed his lips against Monroe’s, once, twice, then pressed a kiss. “Why don’t you get undressed? Maybe you can show me how much more fun it is with someone who has experience.”

Instead, Monroe suggested they wait until the next night so they wouldn’t have to rush out the door in the morning for work. Nick agreed, but that didn’t mean the pizza didn’t turn cold waiting to be eaten because it did.

Now, Nick was leading Monroe upstairs to Nick’s bedroom after making sure the doors were locked. Their coats had been left on hooks in the foyer. The rest of their clothes strewn across the floor of the bedroom. 

Monroe slid his hands around Nick’s waist and down till he had two handfuls of that plump ass. He licked his way into his boyfriend’s mouth, taking his time as his tongue glided along Nick’s. The sinful sounds that escaped from them both were swallowed by each with Monroe’s face framed by Nick’s hands.

When they broke apart, Nick licked and nipped and sucked a trail from his lover’s mouth, along his jawline, and down his neck. Monroe’s moans were amplified as his head lolled back to give Nick better access and their half-hard cocks rubbed together with each little thrust Nick gave as he worked the patch of skin. Those hands that knew their way around a variety of weapons now slid over Monroe’s hairy chest with purpose.

His own hands gliding over the whole of Nick’s smooth, muscular back from his nape to his ass, Monroe also got to know his perfectly squared shoulders, leaving little marks along the way. He pulled back and captured that mouth again loving how good Nick felt and tasted. Soon, he would know the full experience of how his lover felt.

Nick’s eyes met his, their pupils blown. “Now, puppy. Please. I need you. Now.”

To prove his point, he slammed his lips against Monroe’s pouring every want and ounce of desire into the kiss. It was all the proof Monroe required. He hoisted up Nick, who immediately wrapped his legs around his lover’s waist and his arms around his neck while Monroe walked him the few short steps to the bed. 

After depositing Nick on it, he went to the nightstand beside the bed and opened the bottom drawer where the condoms and lube were located. Grabbing what was required, he climbed onto the bed and sidled up to his boyfriend who waited eagerly for him.

“You ready? One hundred percent? It’s okay if you’ve changed your mind. Whatever you want, bärchen.” Monroe cupped his cheek and held his gaze.

“I want you to make love to me.” Nick loosely gripped the wrist belonging to the hand on his cheek. “I want you to know I love you, Monroe. That I have loved you longer than I should have and that I should have you told you sooner. You mean everything to me and I will always fight for us. _I promise._ ”

Emotions fought for control, but Monroe maintained the upper hand. His eyes were wet though. There was no stopping that. “I love you, Nick. So much. Like you, I have loved you longer than I should have, but I think we’ve been telling each other how we feel every day we’ve been together. I am whole with you and I will be right there by your side fighting like hell for us. That is my vow.”

For a moment, they stared into each other's eyes until the corners of their mouths lifted. Then, Nick raised his head to meet Monroe’s lips in a trio of soft kisses. The time had come and both were ready.

Squeezing a generous amount of lube onto his forefinger, Monroe kept one eye on his lover as Nick did the same while pulling up his legs and leaving them wide open. Monroe got into position, holding up his lubed finger to see if he was okay to proceed. He received a quick grin and a nod, then parted Nick’s ass cheeks to reveal his hole. Rubbing over the area and around it, he then slid in the digit. 

It was cold. There was a slight flash of pain, which caused Nick to suck in air through his teeth. This was a new experience and a slightly uncomfortable one, but not unwanted. Not the same as the night before, but he hadn’t been at it that long. He heard Monroe tell him to relax, that it gets better from here. _I mean, it has to, right?_ Of course, it did. The finger felt kinda nice now. Sorta like last night.

“Go ahead. It’s okay.” When it moved, Nick grinned. He was beginning to get the appeal. The sensation of the digit moving back and forth, round and round started to kick up arousal within him. His hand reached for Monroe, pulling him down by the nape so he could have that physical connection in more ways than one.

“That feels really nice … what you’re doing down there.” The question in Monroe’s eyes wanted to know how Nick was doing. He saw no point in being coy when right now was all about his comfort level. “I can feel myself opening. I want you inside me so badly.”

He went for those full lips again, loving the taste of Monroe on his tongue, how that taste somehow injected itself into his bloodstream like a drug. Addiction. That’s what his attachment to this man had become in the few short weeks since they succumbed to their emotions and desires and formed this perfect union. There was no doubt in his mind the addiction wasn’t one-sided.

“I’m adding a second finger,” Monroe warned, pulling back to add lube to his middle finger, which joined the forefinger effortlessly though not unnoticed by Nick.

Another sucking of air through his teeth as his body tensed and hole clenched. Again, Monroe talked him down, encouraging him to relax. Nick thought about how they would lie here later after sex, their bodies spent, limbs tangled so it was impossible to tell which went where. How they would spend the weekend in bed, even those times not spent making love or sleeping, their own private island where clothes were banned and the only reasons to leave were for the toilet and to forage for food.

“You are doing so well, bärchen. I’m so proud of you.” Monroe’s warm breath tickled his ear before he pressed a kiss just below the earlobe. More praise as Nick tensed beneath him as his body opened wider. “Just a bit longer. Not much now.”

True to his word, Monroe removed his fingers while capturing Nick’s mouth. Before pulling away, he peppered Nick’s neck to his collarbone with kisses.

Nick moaned when the loss of Monroe became obvious. It would have been bad enough if it were just the fingers from deep inside him, but it was the warmth of the larger body covering his slightly smaller one. Being ripped from the cocoon before he had emerged fully formed. He sighed his lover’s name and earned assurances that he was not alone.

The condom in place, lube slathered on, Monroe pressed a kiss to the side of his lover’s knee. He inched into place on his knees with a small pillow in hand, lightly slapping Nick on his hip to lift his ass. Pillow in place, he waited for Nick to let him know he was comfortable. Monroe loomed over him, stealing a kiss before they started, but Nick took his face in his hands and pulled him down for a deeper one to keep his lover in place a little longer.

Both took a breath once Monroe was kneeling again at Nick’s entrance. Cock in hand, Monroe lined himself up and slowly pushed in, stopping every so often to give Nick a chance to acclimate before continuing. They moaned in chorus when Monroe bottomed out. 

“How do you feel?” He eyed Nick anxiously hoping he hadn’t somehow broken his boyfriend at such a critical juncture.

It took Nick a moment or two to fully comprehend what it was he felt. He spoke the first word that came to mind. “Full.”

Monroe barked out a laugh, which set off the other man. “I’ll take it!”

This exacerbated Nick’s chuckling into an all-out uncontrollable laughter. A full minute later, he calmed himself so all he needed was to finish catching his breath. When he was sedated, he met Monroe’s eyes and smiled.

“I think you should move now.”

Carefully, though not to be too precious about it, Monroe pulled out halfway and pushed back inside, making sure a little more came out with each reverse move. His attention was laser focused on Nick, seeing the waves of pleasure flit across his features, watching as his hips canted to meet each of Monroe’s thrusts.

“You are so damn gorgeous like this. I can’t wait to see you when you come, Nick. You're so tight. It feels so good to be inside you. Just like I knew it would.” Between each sentence came a series of pants proving it was becoming harder to speak.

His boyfriend’s praise went straight to Nick’s heart and cock, the latter becoming painfully hard. However, he shook his head at the compliment to his good looks. “You … are so beautiful, pup. Fuck! I had no idea how amazing it would be to have you inside me. Christ, I want to know what it’s like to be in you.”

“Whatever you want, bärchen.” Monroe came forward to lean on his forearms, sensing his lover needed to touch him while they made love. “I would love that. I’ve thought about it a lot since you first mentioned it.”

Nick ran his hands all over his boyfriend’s warm skin, raking his nails over his hairy chest, tweaking his nipples, and getting an appropriate response. He was grateful to Monroe for intuiting he needed this. When it came to his boyfriend, Nick was a tactile person. There would never come a time when he wouldn’t have the need to touch him in some way. Monroe felt so good, it was like coming home every time. No matter what, Nick would never have this reaction with anyone else. That much he knew.

He wrapped his legs over Monroe’s hips, driving his lover deeper inside him. That caused Monroe to graze Nick’s spot. The younger man’s reaction was instantaneous and had Monroe zeroing in on the gland, ensuring not to pound it into submission just yet as he wanted them both to enjoy this act for as long as possible. 

While his cock continued to work, he nibbled on Nick’s earlobe, then sucked a spot on his boyfriend’s neck that he knew would leave a mark. Not to be outdone, Nick dragged his nails lightly down Monroe’s back until he had his hands full of his ass, kneading it, and let his mouth make a meal out of the older man’s shoulder, making sure to leave a mark or two of his own.

Soon enough, their ends were drawing near. Each could feel it creeping in to start, then accelerating as if it were a snowball barreling down a mountain at full speed. Nick took himself in hand and began to pump, matching Monroe’s now harder and faster thrusts. Their heads came together gently, in opposition to their bodies, which were on the verge of combusting. Independently, they began to chant their each other’s names while warning their coming was imminent.

Monroe came first despite his most valiant attempts otherwise. His condom filled easily, but he didn’t stop thrusting — erratic though his thrusts were — until Nick met his end. It was spectacular to witness his gorgeous lover climaxing, as satisfying as going through it himself. This was only the beginning for them, sexually speaking, and he couldn’t wait to continue the journey with his amazing partner.

Nick was well aware his sex life had leveled up considerably since he started sleeping with Monroe — hell, he hadn’t forgotten his amazing jerking off session alone in the shower the morning after their first kiss downstairs on the couch. However, nothing had prepared him for how mind blowing making love for the first time to the man he adored would be. His vision whited out. His cock erupted with cum like it was fucking Mount Vesuvius spewing lava everywhere.

The weight of Monroe collapsing on top of him barely registered during his out-of-body experience. When he came back to himself and his senses were again online, Nick embraced his boyfriend and smiled at Monroe’s chuckle.

“Still with me, I see. Had me worried there for a second.”

“No worries, pup.” Nick kissed the top of Monroe’s head, while his boyfriend ran his hands along Nick’s sides. “Nowhere else I’d rather be.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you made it this far, thank you for reading my first Grimm story. I really needed to write a falling in love story for Nick and Monroe, and am thrilled with how it came out! I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did.


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